Putin praises Iran’s help in Syria

In Tehran, the two countries made a show of their closeness.

Russian Federation says it will help Iran’s export of enriched uranium and modification of nuclear facilities at Arak and Fordo.

Earlier this month, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said that the country is expected to receive the deliveries by March 2016. Russia is ready to extend a $5bln state loan to Iran to promote industrial cooperation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

Russian Federation has shielded Syria from global sanctions, and on September 30 it launched an air campaign against the Islamic State group and other insurgents, while Tehran has sent military advisers to shore up Assad. “Under a long-term scheme, the Americans are determined to dominate Syria and then extend their control over the region [in a bid] to fill the historical void of not having dominance on West Asia, which this scheme poses a threat to all nations and countries, particularly Russian Federation and Iran”, he said. Khamenei commended Russia’s work on the Iran nuclear accord, and vowed not to negotiate with the US again. The plan, however, says nothing about Assad’s fate, a point on which Russian Federation and Tehran might be at odds.

The Iranian general, who was addressing a group of Basij volunteer fighters in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, said Turkey along with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan are engaged in an “unjust war” against the front comprising Iran, Iraq, Syria, Russia and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

“This must be prevented through wisdom and active interaction, ” Khamenei told Putin at the start of their meeting.

He said that the U.S. insistence on the ouster of Bashar al-Assad – “who is the legal and elected president of Syria” – was among the weaknesses of Washington’s announced policies.

In November previous year, Russian Federation agreed to build up to eight new nuclear power reactor units in Iran – four at Bushehr and four at another, yet to be determined site.

Tehran and Moscow have stepped up ties following a landmark nuclear deal in July between Iran and six world powers including Russian Federation and the United States.

For his part, Putin called for cooperation between Tehran and Moscow to politically settle the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Putin’s trip was planned before the UN Security Council on Friday authorised countries to “take all necessary measures” to fight ISIS in a France-sponsored resolution one week after the Paris attacks. The transcript did not clarify specifically what Putin was referring to, but given Russia’s prominent role in political negotiations and its diplomatic efforts with Iran’s rivals in the Persian Gulf, there have probably been incentives and pressure to reduce support for Assad.