Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in Turkmenistan

Vladimir Putin says he wants to create a “new world order” of Russia’s allies after he met Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, in Turkmenistan.

As tensions escalate in the Middle East, the two leaders “hailed” their “growing economic ties and similar views on world affairs”, said Reuters. It is an “entente viewed with concern by the United States”.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Iran has sent thousands of drones and short-range missiles to Russia and, according to US officials, built a drone factory there too. In return, Moscow has sent oil to Iran and provided technical know-how. It’s rumoured that Putin has also sent fighter jets and missile defence systems Iran’s way.

Although the Kremlin has hosted the Iran-backed Hamas and has blamed the West for the escalating conflict in the Middle East, “there is a feeling in Tehran” that Russia “still owes Iran”. An unnamed professor at an Iranian university told the Telegraph that “our relationship with Putin resembles that of being friends with someone who never pays their share when you go out”, and Iran’s state media has criticised Putin for “maintaining his distance” from the Middle East crisis.

To continue reading this article…

Create a free account

Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.

Already have an account? Sign in

Subscribe to The Week

Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.

Cancel or pause at any time.

Already a subscriber to The Week?

Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.

READ SOURCE