Russia and Iran to sign partnership pact [Video]

Russia and Iran will sign a “comprehensive strategic partnership” treaty on Friday during a visit to Moscow by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, cementing ties between two of the world’s most heavily sanctioned countries.

The agreement comes just three days before Iran-hawk Donald Trump enters the White House and as Moscow and Tehran seek to formalise their close relationship after years of deepening cooperation.

Iran has supplied Russia with self-detonating “Shahed” drones that Moscow fires on Ukraine in nightly barrages, according to Ukrainian and Western officials, while both nations have ramped up trade amid Western sanctions.

The new treaty will strengthen Tehran and Moscow’s “military-political and trade-economic” relations, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, without providing further detail.

Tehran has given little information about Friday’s pact, but ruled out a mutual defence clause like the one included in Russia’s treaty with North Korea last year, Russian state media reported, citing Tehran’s top …