On 20 January, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi traveled to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow, with the express purpose of advancing bilateral ties between both countries at the highest level. Among the talking points of the two leaders were their shared regional and international issues, the Vienna negotiations for Iran’s nuclear program, and regional cooperation in Eurasia. Contrary to expectations and to the positive statements made before the meeting, the visit did not end with the announcement of a grand strategic agreement, such as the one that took place between China and Iran a year ago. Nevertheless, the visit did push negotiations between both parties to a higher level, and facilitated Iran’s economic integration into the Russian-Chinese Eurasian architecture.
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2022-02-01
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2022-01-26
West Asia’s winds have changed. When Syria began 2022 by joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it became the 20th Arab country that Beijing has factored into its grand connectivity vision for Asia, Africa and Europe. The Arab states in China’s sights include those that have already signed deals, and others with proposals in hand: Egypt (2016), Sudan (2018), Algeria (2018), Iraq (2015), Morocco (2017), Saudi Arabia (2018), Yemen (2017), Syria (2022), Somalia (2015), Tunisia (2018), UAE (2018), Libya (2018), Lebanon (2017), Oman (2018), Mauritania (2018), Kuwait(2018), Qatar (2019), Bahrain (2018), Djibouti (2018), Comoros. The ambitious connectivity and development projects the BRI can inject into a war-torn, exhausted West Asia have the ability to transform the areas from the Levant to the Persian Gulf into a booming world market hub. Importantly, by connecting these states via rail, road, and water, the foreign-fueled differences that have kept nations at odds since colonial times will have to take a back seat. Once-hostile neighbors must work in tandem for mutually-beneficial economic gains and a more secure future to work. And money talks – in a region continuously beset by war, terrorism, ruin and shortages.
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2022-01-21
Three ain't a crowd: The Iran-Russia summit this week, concurrent with RIC military drills in the Sea of Oman, in advance of a Xi-Putin meeting in two weeks, suggests a rapidly-advancing strategic vision for the three Eurasian powers.
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2022-01-21
Iran has reportedly awarded significant oil contracts to Russian companies during President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Moscow
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2022-01-20
Iran seeks "maximum interaction" with all countries around the world based on increasing formation of a "civilised global community". As one of his travel plans to Russia, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran addressed the State Duma of Russia and stated, "The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks "maximum interaction" with all countries around the world, especially its neighbours and allies". The full text of President Raisi's speech is as follows:
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2022-01-19
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-profile meeting in the Kremlin on Wednesday. […] Raisi who visited Russia on Wednesday for a two-day visit is accompanied by a high-ranking delegation consisting of Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Oil Minister Javad Oji, and Economy and Finance Minister Ehsan Khandouzi.
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2022-01-19
Vladimir Putin held talks at the Kremlin with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. The agenda included matters of bilateral cooperation, current international and regional issues, and problems with implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme.
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2022-01-07
Two years after Gen. Soleimani’s assassination, the Islamic Republic might best be served by discarding the quixotic pursuit of unattainable goals and focusing instead on what its rulers are supposed to do: providing for the security and well-being of their citizens. That may well include shifting from the goal of “expelling the U.S.” to trying to redefine the relationship based on a degree of mutual acceptance, at least for as long as the Democratic administration is in power.
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2021-12-24
While the west bangs on about Vienna talks, sanctions and military options, Iran has been quietly building a vast network of alternative solutions to cement its Asian ascent
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2021-12-14
On December 12, President Ebrahim Raisi submitted his proposed budget to parliament for the Iranian year 2022/23, which begins in March. According to the initial numbers, Tehran appears to assume that nothing will emerge from the nuclear talks in Vienna, and that the country will not be any more successful than it has been at evading U.S. sanctions.