LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Iran on Tuesday where he will meet Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Russia seeks to develop economic partnerships after the West imposed restrictions on it. severe penalties.
The trip will be the Russian leader’s second trip abroad since he launched what he describes as a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24.
Vladimir Putin considers the sanctions imposed by Western countries against Russia, the toughest that a country has experienced in modern history, to represent a declaration of economic war, and has asserted that Moscow is now turning away from the West to the benefit of countries like China, India or Iran.
“Contacts with Ali Khamenei are very important,” Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters. “A confident dialogue has developed between (Vladimir Putin and Ali Khamenei) on the most crucial issues.”
“On most of these issues, our positions are close or identical.”
Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran will coincide with that of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the two heads of state will meet in Tehran to discuss an agreement to restore grain exports to the Black Sea.
They are also expected to address the situation in Syria, as Ankara recently signaled its intention to launch an offensive against the Syrian Kurds who control a long swath of territory along its border.
Russia and Iran are crucial allies of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, while Turkey supports part of the opposition in the province of Idlib, in the north-west of the country.
(Report Guy Faulconbridge and Parisa Hafezi with the contribution of Orhan Coskun; French version Camille Raynaud, edited by Matthieu Protard)
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