Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, arrived in Iran on Tuesday for a visit aimed at strengthening ties with regional powerhouses as part of Moscow's challenge to the United States and Europe in the midst of its grueling battle in Ukraine.
Putin is meeting with the presidents of Turkey and Iran to discuss pressing regional issues like the conflict in Syria and a U.N.-backed plan to resume exports of Ukrainian grain to ease the world food crisis. This is only Putin's second trip abroad since Russian tanks invaded its neighbor in February.
Putin is attempting to strengthen ties with Tehran, a country that is also the subject of harsh U.S. sanctions and a possible military and trading ally, while the West slaps sanctions on Russia and the expensive campaign continues on.
The White House claims that Russian officials visited an airport in central Iran at least twice in recent weeks to examine Tehran's drones that can carry weapons for potential deployment in Ukraine.
At Tehran's Mehrabad airport, Iran welcomed Putin with a long red carpet and the Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji gave him a cordial welcome before whisking him away in his presidential motorcade to the city.
The opportunity for a high-stakes meeting with Erdogan, who has sought to mediate talks on a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis and assist in negotiations to open the Black Sea grain route, is possibly the most important aspect of Putin's trip to Tehran.
NATO member Turkey has found itself in violent confrontations with Russia in Azerbaijan, Libya, and Syria. Even the Ukrainian military has purchased deadly drones from them to strike Russian troops.
Turkey, on the other hand, has not placed sanctions on the Kremlin, making it a crucial ally for Moscow. Turkey relies on the Russian market in addition to dealing with out-of-control inflation and a quickly appreciating currency.
The event has symbolic significance for Putin's domestic audience as well, demonstrating Russia's global influence even as it becomes more alone and escalates its conflict with the West. It happens shortly after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia and Israel, Tehran's main adversaries.
From Jeddah and Jerusalem, Biden called on Israel and the Arab world to counter the perceived expansion of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence in the area.
Selling was difficult. Given that Russia has a foothold in Syria, Israel's northeastern neighbor and a regular target of its bombings, it is imperative that Israel maintain strong relations with Putin. Beyond the terms of a deal endorsed by their energy partnership with Moscow, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have declined to pump more oil.
To counter Iran, which has rapidly advanced its nuclear program since former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned Tehran's nuclear agreement with the world powers and reimposed harsh sanctions, all the nations could agree to work together despite their long-standing rivalries. Talks to revive the agreement have come to a standstill.
The Iranian leadership is stepping up uranium enrichment, cracking down on dissent, and capturing headlines with upbeat, hard-line statements in an effort to prevent the rial, the country's currency, from collapsing because it is being backed into a corner by the West and its regional competitors.
Iran's tactical alliance with Russia has evolved into one of survival, despite the fact that Moscow seems to be undercutting Tehran in the black market oil trade since sanctions relief is nowhere in sight.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stated on Twitter that "Iran is (the) hub of active diplomacy," adding that the discussions will "expand economic cooperation, focus on security of the area, and secure food security."
Russia is Iran's "most strategic partner," according to Fadahossein Maleki, a member of the prominent national security and foreign policy committee of the Iranian parliament. His remarks belied the long-standing hostility that had resulted from Russia's occupation of Iran during World War II and its subsequent refusal to withdraw.
Putin and Raisi met in January in Moscow and again last month in Turkmenistan, and after his arrival, they spoke. Putin will meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his sixth trip to Tehran to carry on what Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov dubbed a "trusting dialogue."
His remarks belied the long-standing hostility that had resulted from Russia's occupation of Iran during World War II and its subsequent refusal to withdraw.
Putin and Raisi met in January in Moscow and again last month in Turkmenistan, and after his arrival, they spoke.
Putin will meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during his sixth trip to Tehran to carry on what Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov dubbed a "trusting dialogue."with matters of regional and global concern.
Later trilateral meetings between the presidents will center on the ongoing conflict in Syria, which has lasted for ten years and in which Turkey has supported armed opposition groups while Iran and Russia have supported President Bashar Assad's regime. In 2015, Russia entered the battle, combining forces with Iranian forces and deploying its air power to support Assad's inexperienced military.
Ushakov stated that measures to promote a political settlement will be discussed, and Erdogan is anticipated to reiterate Turkey's threats of launching a fresh military attack in northern Syria to force Syrian Kurdish militants away from its borders.
The action is a component of Turkey's strategy to establish a safe zone along its border with Syria in order to promote the voluntary repatriation of Syrian refugees.
Khamenei sent Erdogan a harsh warning about the impending Turkish invasion during their meeting.
Iran's top official emphasized the need to "put the situation to an end through discussions," stating that "any form of military action in northern Syria will without a doubt affect Turkey, Syria, and the entire region, and will help terrorists."
Iran and Turkey promised to expand their bilateral trade to $30 billion and inked preliminary agreements encompassing, among other things, business, media, diplomacy, and investment.
Erdogan urged unity in the fight against Kurdish terrorist organizations and a network run by a Muslim cleric with a stronghold in the United States, both of which Ankara accuses of planning a failed coup attempt in 2016.
He described them as annoyances that disturb the peace in the nations where they exist. "We must carry on leading the fight against them."
Since Russia last week used its veto power at the U.N. Security Council to limit aid deliveries to 4.1 million people in Syria's rebel-held northwest to six months rather than a year, humanitarian issues in that country have also gained attention.
On the agenda are discussions about removing a Russian blockade and selling grain from Ukraine on international markets. Last week, representatives from the U.N., Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey tentatively agreed on certain terms of a deal to guarantee the export of 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural supplies that have been detained in Ukraine's Black Sea ports by the fighting.
The meeting between Putin and Erdogan on Tuesday may help remove remaining obstacles, which would be a significant step toward easing the food crisis that has driven up the cost of essential commodities like wheat and barley.
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