Putin, Khamenei defiant over Assad future

Speaking to state news agency Itar-Tass, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave further details about the discussion between Putin and Khamenei. The strength of Russia’s relations with Iran has been perceivably linked to Russia’s relations with the West. For example, Russian Federation banned an existing contract to sell Iran S-300 surface-to-air missile systems after new United Nations sanctions were introduced, but also allegedly under added pressure from Western partners.

Tehran’s envoy has said Moscow finally started the procedure of delivering the S-300 missile system to the Islamic Republic.

The deals anticipate that world powers will soon lift economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for steps it has promised to take for at least a decade under the nuclear agreement to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

Putin, on his first visit to Iran since 2007, presented an old edition of the Koran, the Muslim holy book, to Khamenei, the Iranian leader’s website said, publishing photos of the book. Russian Federation and Iran support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Western nations, like Turkey and the Gulf Arab states, wish for Assad to be replaced.

Putin’s trip coincides with a major summit in Tehran of gas exporting countries but his talks with Khamenei are likely to dominate. The two countries are backing Assad in a war that has killed more than a quarter of a million people and allowed jihadist groups including Islamic State to spread their influence. Russian Federation plans to raise trade turnover with Iran, including through greater use of national currencies in mutual settlements. The Russian President said the first unit of the Bushehr nuclear power plant is working at full capacity, and the construction of the second and third blocks is underway.

Akhmetov does not rule out that Iran in the near future may try to increase its oil quota on the world market of fossil fuels, which will push oil prices down, thereby harming the interests of Russian Federation and other oil-producing countries. However, despite Putin’s comments in Tehran, speculation has emerged about Moscow being more prepared to see Assad phased out of power as part of a deal, compared to Tehran.

Russian Federation joined the bombing campaign over Syria, in support of Assad, on September 30.

Attention is now focused on stopping Islamic State group jihadists, who a year ago took control of large parts of Syria and surged into Iraq, from breaching Assad’s defences and taking Damascus.

At the end of the summit, the participants issued a declaration, underscoring the need to facilitate stronger cooperation over a series of industry issues, including the transfer of expertise and pricing mechanisms.