Russia, Iran to Sign Strategic Pact on Eve of Donald Trump’s Inauguration [Video]

What’s New?

Russia and Iran plan to formalize relations with the signing of a new strategic partnership treaty in the days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The news was broken by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, who told reporters on Monday that he hoped the leaders of the two nations would sign the agreement “at the end of January,” Russian state-owned outlet Sputnik reported.

Newsweek has contacted the foreign affairs ministries of Iran and Russia for comment.

Why It Matters

The new treaty, potentially occurring just days prior to Trump’s inauguration on January 20, signals an attempt by the two nations to combine their respective powers in the face of growing isolation on the world stage.

Russia and Iran are members of what analysts at the Center for New American Security have dubbed the Axis of Upheaval, a group of states, which also features China and North Korea, that have increasingly positioned themselves …