Unfazed by U.S. Pressure, Putin Says Russia Will Maintain Trade Ties With Iran

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met today (Tuesday) on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit being held in Kyrgyzstan. At the end of the meeting, Putin declared that "Russia will continue to maintain trade relations with Tehran despite the military-political situation."

The meaning: Russia will disregard the American threat to impose sanctions on any country that trades with Iran or provides it with security assistance. Russia and Iran currently maintain a close strategic partnership in many areas, from the economy to defense. According to Western reports, Moscow has recently strengthened its cooperation with Tehran, while Iran also views Russia as one of its most important partners on the international stage.

Alongside Putin's statement, Pezeshkian signaled a relatively conciliatory position, saying that Iran would act in response to understandings with Washington if the United States fulfills its commitments. It should be noted that this year's SCO summit brought together leaders from many member and partner countries, including China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Turkey.