Iran pushing for greater ties with Russia at BRICS Summit

Iran used the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, this week to push for tighter economic and strategic relations between Tehran and Moscow. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he and Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, will soon sign a strategic partnership agreement, according to America’s Institute for the Study of War think tank.

The ISW said Iran will likely seek greater international support from countries like Russia and China because Israel’s ground and air offensives in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon have disrupted parts of Tehran’s proxy network.

“This disruption is particularly notable, given that Hezbollah’s capabilities — which now appear degraded by Israeli action at a minimum — have long served as Iran’s principle deterrence against Israeli attack,” the ISW said Wednesday in its latest report.

The Kremlin has discouraged Israel from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities, a stand that demonstrates “the advantages of strong Iranian relations with Russia,” the ISW said.

Analysts say Iran’s president appears to be continuing his predecessor’s “neighborhood policy,” which builds on improving relations with regional countries and those like Russia that aren’t part of the region but are involved in activities that affect it.

“The regime calculates that mitigating the impact of sanctions increases domestic stability and regime credibility,” the ISW said. “Russo-Iranian cooperation has accelerated since the start of Russia’s offensive campaign in Ukraine due to Iran’s military support in the war.”