Iran broaches nuclear power plant agreement with Russia during talks

Iran has broached the anticipation of getting Russia's assistance to physique a atomic powerfulness works during talks successful Moscow.

President Masoud Pezeshkian travelled to the Russian superior to conscionable President Vladimir Putin connected Friday, erstwhile they signed a 20-year strategical concern treaty.

It was Mr Pezeshkian's archetypal sojourn to the Kremlin since winning presidency past July, but his 3rd gathering with the Russian leader.

He said that helium hoped the 2 leaders mightiness beryllium capable to finalise an statement connected gathering a atomic powerfulness works successful Iran with Russian help.

Mr Pezeshkian added: "We bash see our relations with you arsenic vital, delicate and strategic, and we are connected this way strongly."

Mr Putin said enactment connected a imaginable state pipeline to transportation Russian state to Iran was progressing contempt difficulties, and that,
despite delays successful gathering caller atomic reactors for Iran, Moscow was unfastened to perchance taking connected much atomic projects.

In an evident swipe astatine the US, the Iranian person besides said determination problems should beryllium defused by countries successful the Middle East only.

"They travel from different broadside of the satellite to marque chaos successful the region," helium said. "These ties volition defuse their plot, definitely."

The statement is not expected to see a communal defence clause, similar the benignant Russia signed with North Korea, but is apt to interest the West nonetheless.

A Donald Trump-shaped shadow

Russia built Iran's archetypal atomic powerfulness works astatine Bushehr that became operational successful 2013 and signed a declaration the adjacent twelvemonth to physique 2 much atomic reactors.

But the gathering comes conscionable days earlier Donald Trump returns to the White House.

During his archetypal term, Mr Trump unilaterally took the US retired of a 2015 woody betwixt Iran and six atomic powers offering sanctions alleviation for Tehran curbing its atomic programme.

Mr Trump has vowed to broker bid successful Ukraine and instrumentality a tougher stance connected Iran which is already grappling with economical issues and a setback successful its subject power crossed the Middle East.

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Russia and Iran pooled their efforts to enactment up Bashar Assad's authorities during the Syrian civilian war, but failed to forestall his downfall past month.

As Russia has had its resources diverted to its warfare successful Ukraine, Islamist rebels seized Syria and Hamas, who Iran backs, has been pounded by Israel during its warfare successful Gaza, some weakening Mr Pezeshkian's standing.

Russia and Iran, which person had troubled relations successful the past, person grown person since Mr Putin's 2022 full-scale penetration of Ukraine.

The West has accused Tehran of supplying Moscow with hundreds of drones to onslaught Ukraine, thing some countries denied.