Syrian conflict dominates talks between Russian Federation and Iran in Tehran

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Iran and Russia should boost the volume of their trade exchanges, making more use of the two countries’ national currencies for payments. Khamenei believes that the US’ goal in Syria is to reassert its dominance in the Middle East.

“S-300, the air defense system, the contract has already been signed”, Sergei Chemezov, the chief executive of Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec was quoted as saying at the Dubai Airshow.

Kachikwu said this while speaking at the 17th Ministerial Meeting Gas Exportinf Countries Forum GECF in Tehran, also identified escalating cost of infrastructural development as a bane of the gas industry.

The decree, issued on the same day as Putin arrived in Iran on an official visit, said Russian firms were now authorised to export hardware and to provide financial and technical advice to help Iran with three specific tasks. “Surely it would be utterly wrong to prohibit Tehran from resuming oil export after the nuclear program-induced sanctions have been lifted”, Mirsky said.

Khamenei praised Putin for “neutralizing Washington’s plots” and said economic relations between the two countries could “expand beyond the current level”.

On Monday, Syrian state media and a monitoring group said government troops backed by Russian airstrikes captured areas from the Islamic State in west-central Homs province, according to the Associated Press.

Following their talks, Putin and Rouhani witnessed the signing of a number of agreements between their countries in a range of industries, including health, travel, finance, railways, thermal power, desalination and groundwater.

During his meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, both Putin and the top cleric warned against any effort to impose a political settlement on Syria. “This threat should be neutralised wisely and with closer interaction”. Iranian ground forces have become more heavily involved in Syria, at the same time as Russian Federation has launched its intensive air campaign in support of Assad in the past two months.

One of the sticking points in the talks now taking place is the fate of Assad. Putin’s trip also comes on the heels of agreement on an incomplete peace plan that calls for talks to begin by January 1 between Syrian President Bashar Assad and his foes. 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.

The civil war in Syria has drawn attention from leaders across the globe.

Both countries insist that Assad is Syria’s legitimate ruler and that his fall will lead to rise of a terrorist state.