Share

Putin praises Iran’s help in Syria

Praising Russia’s stance on Syria crisis, the supreme leader said that Moscow’s decisions and measures on the issue of Syria had boosted the regional and global standing of Russia in general and Putin in particular.

Advertisement

“The conversation was of a very constructive nature”, Peskov said. “This threat should be neutralised wisely and with closer interaction”, he was quoted as saying in a statement, meaning co-operation with Russian Federation. Putin and Khamenei met before the Russian leader spoke at a major summit of gas exporting countries hsted by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in the capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Monday for a political settlement to Syria’s four-year-old conflict as he sought to strengthen ties with Iran, one of Russia’s crucial and few remaining allies in the Middle East.

This is Putin’s first visit to Iran since 2007 and it also reflects how the nuclear deal reached in July with the Obama administration has untied Russia’s hands to develop its relations with Tehran more publicly.

These new commitments build on previous Russian pledges to provide Iran with advanced missile-defense systems, which Tehran has sought to defend its nuclear infrastructure against possible attack.

He also reiterated the opposition stance that there could be no peaceful solution in Syria without the removal of Assad.

Iran and Russian Federation have become increasingly allied in Syria providing support that has propped up Assad’s government and forces since an uprising erupted in 2011.

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Walid al-Moallem said Turkey is not happy with the progress the Syrian Arab Army made with the help of Russian Federation.

President Vladimir Putin warned on Tuesday that the tragedy with Russian Su-24 downed in Syria would have serious consequences for Moscow-Ankara relations. A Kremlin spokesperson said Iran and Russian Federation have a “unity of views” on Syria.

The deals anticipate that world powers will soon lift economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for steps it has promised to take for at least a decade under the nuclear agreement to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

Reports of heavy civilian casualties from Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria are one key reason why Washington is unlikely to coordinate airstrikes with Moscow against Islamic State, U.S. officials told Reuters, even as President Barack Obama left the door ajar on Tuesday to military cooperation with the Kremlin.

This is Putin’s second trip to Iran.

Advertisement

Chief among those opposed to Assad’s government is the United States, which has long backed Syrian rebel fighters and engaged in numerous actions aimed at dethroning him.

Russia lifts ban on export of uranium enrichment equipment to Iran