Since Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February, it is his second foreign trip. Vladimir Putin met his Turkish and Iranian counterparts in Tehran on Tuesday 19 July 2022. The trip is a clear signal to the West that despite numerous sanctions and enforced isolation, Russia is not alone in the fight against NATO. The timing of the visit is also a matter to ponder since it came soon after Biden visited the Middle East. Putin’s visit to Iran is a chance to glorify that Russia still has international allies that support its cause.
One of the main agendas of the meeting was to discuss unblocking Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea. The Russian President assured that progress was made in the domain. The delegates also discussed the war in Syria as Russia and Iran have been supporting the regime of Bashar Al Assad while Turkey has backed up the opposition forces to tackle the government. The discussions aimed to reduce the tensions in Syria as Turkey signaled aggressive behavior in the last few months. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the Russian President that had he not started the war in Ukraine, NATO, the “dangerous creature”, would have done it eventually. The Iranians also termed war as a dangerous and devastating activity but did not back out from blaming the West and the United States for igniting such a critical situation in Ukraine. President Putin termed the loss of civilian lives in the war as a matter of great tragedy and blamed the West for causing such a threatening situation. Although it is not officially discussed, the United States national security advisor Jake Sullivan claimed last week that Iran wants to sell hundreds of drones to Russia to be used in the war in Ukraine. In case this news is true, the US would surely view Iran with a healthy degree of skepticism. Apart from these, other matters were also discussed such as the Iran nuclear deal, energy, trade, and other matters of improving relations. There is a strong message being sent to Washington about Russia, Iran, and Turkey’s intentions to work together in the future.
Thus, as the war in Ukraine rages, Putin’s trip to Tehran can be of vital importance for shifting the dynamics. The isolated President magnified it to the West that it still has partners and allies that are willing to collaborate against the brutal actions of NATO. Iran opposed the expansionist policies of NATO while Putin worked to reassure its ties with Turkey. It portrays that the East-West divide is further deepening as more countries are involved in the race. The meetings can sort out ways for the countries to collaborate in the realm of trade and energy and such cooperation is a clear threat to the interests of the US in the Middle East. Iran and Russia can be game-changers against the policies of the West if their collaboration goes well. The impacts of the talks would be visible in a matter of time, but it is a clear signal to the US and its Western allies.
