The Spokesman for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov explained that Putin and Khamenei have both totally rejected “any external attempt to dictate scenarios of political settlements” regarding the strife in Syria.
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Iran is dramatically increasing its natural gas export capacity in preparation for the lifting of worldwide sanctions, President Hassan Rouhani said, as he courted foreign investment in the sector during a summit meeting in Tehran.
“The United States is now trying to achieve its failed military objectives in Syria by political means”, he continued.
Putin made the remarks in a ceremony on the sidelines of the GECF summit during which the two countries’ officials signed seven memorandums of understanding (MoU).
“Unlike some others, we do no betray our partners”, Putin said. He also said that Russian Federation will help Iran, “process enriched uranium” which he claimed would be used for research purposes.
While the United States and President Barack Obama’s administration played a significant role in bringing about the nuclear deal, Khamenei said, “We do not have any trust in the Americans, and with open eyes we will observe America’s behavior and performance”. “What is really going on is a new hegemon is now dominating the Middle East – the new axis of Iran and Russian Federation”, wrote Todd in the Washington Times. And both Putin and Khamenei stuck to that conviction on Monday.
Russian Federation and Iran signed a contract for Moscow to supply Tehran with S-300 surface-to-air missile systems on 9 November.
“This threat should be neutralized wisely and with closer interaction…”
As the meeting ended, Putin gave Khamenei one of the oldest Quran manuscripts as a gift. But the loss of Russian backing may make it more hard for Tehran to resist the pressure from other global powers that believe Assad must be replaced in order to end the Syrian Civil War and effectively fight ISIS.
Breaking: Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected during his press conference with King Abdullah to address the downing of an SU-24 fighter jet over Syria.
“There are also an abundance of projects in various economic fields, which can bear fruit in joint partnership”, Rouhani said, adding that there are also many projects in the fields of energy, oil, gas and electricity for mutual cooperation between the two countries.
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The proposal, which seems to draw heavily on a recently circulated Russian initiative, states that “free and fair elections” would be held according to a new constitution within 18 months. The plan, however, says nothing about Assad’s fate, a point on which Russian Federation and Tehran might be at odds. Iran’s alleged commitment to maintain Assad in power is linked to the leadership’s concern that no other ruling figure will enable Iran in maintaining its influence in western Syria, preserving access to Lebanon to arm its military proxy, Hezbollah, and keeping in place its front against Israel. As the two countries’ interests and long-term ambitions in a future Syria might compete, the current marriage of convenience between Moscow and Tehran, aimed at countering the rebel front in the crisis, could weaken or collapse once the fighting subsides.
