Iran and Russia discuss deeper security and defense cooperation, ambassador says

Iran's ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, said in an interview that a three-hour meeting between Iranian official Rezaei and Russian President Vladimir Putin took place in a cordial and highly coordinated atmosphere, during which the two sides discussed the latest developments in their strategic and high-level cooperation. According to Jalali, Iran's major decisions to accelerate construction of the Rasht-Astara railway and to complete the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) were outlined at the meeting. The operational aspects of a strategic mega-project to transfer Russian natural gas to Iran, along with other areas of mutual cooperation, were also reviewed in detail. Jalali said the discussions reflected full alignment of Tehran and Moscow's positions on deepening bilateral and regional relations.

On relations with Washington, Jalali said Iran's firm position on repeated U.S. violations of commitments and on the ineffectiveness of direct negotiations without genuine guarantees was conveyed during the talks with the Russian president. He said Rezaei referred to the contents of a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance and explained Iran's response, stressing that negotiations alone would never provide the basis for ending the war. Historical experience, he said, had shown that Washington had repeatedly used dialogue as an instrument of aggression and breach of commitments. According to Jalali, Iran had been attacked by its adversaries at several stages of diplomatic engagement, including following a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump to the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution and negotiations in Oman, the Geneva talks following the 12-day war, and the Islamabad Declaration agreements, while diplomatic efforts were still under way. He further said the United States had demonstrated a lack of commitment by bypassing the agreed transit route through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Accordingly, he said, Iran had declared that full and unconditional acceptance of its seven strategic conditions by Washington was an essential prerequisite for any diplomatic initiative. Jalali added that the Russian side understood and accepted Iran's position that negotiations alone were ineffective and that its strategic conditions had to be implemented, particularly in light of what he described as three documented breaches of commitments and two military aggressions.

On the nuclear issue, Jalali said Russia acknowledged what he described as discriminatory treatment of Iran outside the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He noted that senior Russian officials had repeatedly emphasized Iran's full compliance with its commitments and had condemned attacks on the country's nuclear facilities. Regarding the possibility of Iran withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the ambassador said major powers raised their own considerations and reservations in discussions, given that part of their influence depends on the structure of international organizations.

Jalali also said Iran and Russia have a long history of military cooperation and specific defense agreements, adding that security had always been a central component of their discussions. He noted that, given shared regional and extra-regional threats, challenges and opportunities, the two countries considered coordinated responses to threatening conduct a strategic necessity. Consultations on deepening military and defense cooperation, he added, were being pursued at the highest levels. According to Mehr News, the ambassador's remarks were published in an interview with the outlet.