Iran’s leader hails Russia’s stance on Syria

Imam Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, met Monday afternoon with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russian Federation.

Although enthusiasm in trade relations between Russian Federation and Iran is not new, Russian Federation has recently been visibly stepping up its economic cooperation with Iran.

“While some countries only imitate action in the fight against terrorism, our two countries have shown how to deal with the issue in a serious way, ” Rouhani said.

Putin highlighted the importance of the long-term contracts and the take or pay principle for the stability of the gas market, investments.

“We shall continue the mutually beneficial cooperation in the nuclear energy [sphere]”, Putin added. Iranian and Russian officials signed seven Memorandums of Understanding.

Russia, which has built Iran’s only functioning nuclear reactor in the southern city of Bushehr, signed an agreement with Iran past year to establish as many as eight more.

Since the beginning of the war, the United States and some of its allies have supported the moderate Syrian opposition and called for Assad’s resignation, while Russian Federation and Iran recognized Assad as the only legitimate Syrian authority. “Surely it would be utterly wrong to prohibit Tehran from resuming oil export after the nuclear program-induced sanctions have been lifted”, Mirsky said. Russian Federation will help Iran reconfigure its nuclear facilities to manufacturing products for research purposes.

Putin also presented Khamenei with a copy of the Quran, Islam’s holy book, according to the supreme leader’s website.

A Kremlin spokesman was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying that Putin and Khamenei had agreed at their talks that global powers should not impose their political will on Syria.

Russian military forces deployed T-90 tanks and air support in battle with rebel forces in Idlib and Latakia, according to the report, which has not been substantiated by other sources, according to the Post. Assad’s fate was likely to dominate the agenda.

Earlier this month, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said that the country is expected to receive the deliveries by March 2016.

“This must be prevented through wisdom and active interaction, ” Khamenei told Putin at the start of their meeting. Iran’s alleged commitment to maintain Assad in power is linked to the leadership’s concern that no other ruling figure will enable Iran in maintaining its influence in western Syria, preserving access to Lebanon to arm its military proxy, Hezbollah, and keeping in place its front against Israel. The agreement requires that Iran scale back its uranium enrichment, and Iran has reportedly already begun dismantling its centrifuges. Iran is seen as a brake on those efforts because of its more staunchly pro-Assad position, which it wants the Kremlin to support…