Russian President Vladimir Putin Met With Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali

The economic and trade cooperation between the long-time allies began to strengthen after the Iran nuclear agreement, which provided ground for removal of the worldwide sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

“Russian Federation is ready to offer a state export loan for these purposes worth $5bln”, Putin told journalists after his talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

As Russian President gifted a copy of an old handwritten Quran to Iran’s supreme leader, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that Putin’s influential role in the Syrian conflict has enhanced the regional and global standing of Russia and President Putin in particular.

Moscow and Tehran have been key backers of Assad in the civil war, which has killed more than 250,000 and turned millions into refugees.

Iran is a crucial ally of Assad, and its troops- and those of its client, Hezbollah – have been essential in propping up the Syrian government’s military as it has been squeezed by rebel groups.

The threat from IS has taken on new potency and spread into Europe since the jihadists committed coordinated gun and bomb attacks in Paris 10 days ago, killing 130 people.

Shiite powerhouse Iran has staunchly backed Assad, who belongs to Syria’s Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, seeing him as a bulwark against its archrival, Saudi Arabia, and other Sunni monarchies of the Gulf.

He said that the USA 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.

Putin’s three-day visit to Tehran was scheduled around a summit on gas exports.

Russian Federation says it will help Iran’s export of enriched uranium and modification of nuclear facilities at Arak and Fordo. The transfer and deployment of the system will be completed by the end of 2015, according to the agreement between the two countries.

“And the Secretary (of State John Kerry) raised it privately with (Russian) Foreign Minister Lavrov as well”, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said in his Monday press briefing, the official website of the US Department of State reported.

In Tehran, both Putin and Iran’s supreme leader warned against any effort to impose a political settlement on Syria.

On the economy, Russian Federation and Iran are also looking at bigger deals once sanctions are lifted under the July 14 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, including Moscow. Moscow, however, later provided Saddam Hussein with weapons during the Iran-Iraq war. The expected outcome of the 3rd Gas Summit is the Tehran Declaration.