TABNAK, Oct, 23: “We are developing cooperation with Iran in a variety of areas. We intend to do this further,” Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CNBC.
He also said that Russia “maintains a dialogue with all parties involved in the conflict in [West Asia].”
Iran and Russia have extensive cooperation in all fields and are regarded strategic partners. They signed a 10-year deal, dubbed the Treaty on the Basis of Mutual Relations and Principles of Cooperation between Iran and Russia, in 2001. Upon the conclusion of its period, the agreement was extended for two five-year terms, extending its expiration date until 2026.
President Pezeshkian left Tehran for Russia on Tuesday to attend a BRICS Summit. He is also slated to have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from some other member countries, including China’s Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the event.
The 16th BRICS and BRICS plus will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Leaders of many countries will be present in Kazan and several meetings are being arranged for Iran on the sidelines of the summit.
President Pezeshkian’s participation in the three-day summit follows an official invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It is the first summit of BRICS since the group expanded earlier this year to officially include Iran and a number of other countries.
Pezeshkian is set to deliver three keynote addresses in Kazan, highlighting Iran’s views on global economic cooperation, multilateralism and the need for stronger partnerships among developing countries.
In addition, the Iranian president is expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders from Russia, China, Egypt, and other participating nations to advance Iran’s economic and diplomatic ties within the bloc of major emerging economies.
Upon arrival in Kazan on Tuesday, the president held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.
“I hope the countries claiming to defend human rights will change their approach and stop supporting the Zionist regime, thereby facilitating an end to the crimes and killings,” Pezeshkian said.
“We believe that war hinders the development of countries, and therefore, we have firmly sought to prevent the escalation of tensions and conflicts in the region. But the Zionist regime has shown that it only pursues war and conflict.”
The two officials discussed key bilateral issues and regional developments. They agreed on the need to stop conflicts in the region and to avoid applying double standards on human rights.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and later South Africa, has recently expanded to include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Countries such as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally applied for membership, with several others expressing interest in joining.
For President Putin, the summit serves as a platform to highlight the failure of US-led efforts to isolate Russia since 2022.
Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described the event as "the largest foreign policy event ever held" by Russia, with 36 countries attending, over 20 of them represented by heads of state.
The Kremlin hopes to position BRICS as a rallying point to challenge the Western-dominated global order.
