Considerations and key points in the Iran-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement

The 20-Year Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Agreement between Iran and Russia, signed during the official visit of Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, to Moscow on 17 January 2025 in a meeting with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, consists of a preamble and 47 articles. Compared to the 2001 agreement, this agreement appears far more comprehensive and detailed, encompassing nearly all political, economic, cultural, and even social dimensions of Tehran-Moscow relations. However, from a legal standpoint, this agreement does not impose any binding obligations on either party—except in certain restrictive clauses—and merely outlines the framework, principles, and key areas of cooperation between Iran and Russia. One of the primary motivations behind the signing of this 20-year comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement was to maintain an independent and long-term relationship between Iran and Russia, regardless of their interactions or confrontations with the Western world. Additionally, the agreement’s emphasis on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity holds particular significance due to the Russian Federation’s supportive stance toward the United Arab Emirates’ territorial claims over the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. Moreover, the absence of a mutual military assistance clause in the event of an armed attack or military aggression—as stipulated in Article 3, Clause 3 of the agreement—distinguishes it from Russia’s strategic agreements with countries like Belarus and North Korea. This provision is crucial in safeguarding Iran from being drawn into Russia’s military conflicts with other nations, including Ukraine, thereby aligning with Iran’s national security and interests. The timing of the signing of this comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement nearly coincides with the implementation of the Iran-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement, which takes effect on 15 May 2025. In this context, Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS will complement the Iran-EAEU Free Trade Agreement, further advancing the objectives outlined in the Iran-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Agreement.