High-profile politicians from Iran and Russia met in Tehran this week to discuss strengthening ties, conflict in the Middle East and how to topple international power structures.
ADVERTISEMENTIran and Russia have agreed to "accelerate" their bilateral relationship, according to a report detailing a meeting between high-level political officials in Tehran on Tuesday.
Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Sergei Shoigu travelled to Iran to meet Iran's recently elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, amid increasing hostilities in the Middle East.
In a document provided by the Iranian government, Pezeshkian is said to have referred to Russia as one of Iran's "countries-friends" while describing the development of relations as "strategic".
Russia and Iran's military alliance in wartime is well-documented, with the Middle Eastern country providing Russia Shahed drones to fire on Ukraine as the most recent example of this partnership.
The report also detailed the need from Iran's side to want to implement "agreements" reached between the two countries, with the Russian delegate emphasising the necessity to speed up the build of the North-South Corridor — a 7,200-kilometre multi-mode transport network connecting a range of countries, including Russia and Iran.
"The relations between the two countries are growing in all sectors and there are very good prospects for the development of interactions," Shoigu said.
Pezeshkian also spoke about Gaza, describing the recent deaths of civilians in Gaza and the assassination of Hamas' top leader Ismail Haniyeh as a "violation of international laws".
Iran and Hamas have long considered Israel responsible, with Pezeshkian stating at the meeting, according to the report, Israel will receive a "response" for its "crime and arrogance".
Pezekshkian condemned the US more broadly, stating: "We believe that the era of one-upmanship of some powers, including the United States, in the world is over."
"The sharing of positions and cooperation between Iran and Russia in the direction of promoting a multipolar world will definitely lead to further promotion of security and peace in the world," he said, according to the report.
The talks come as the US and its allies work to prevent a wider regional war after Israel killed Iran-allied militants in the country's capital.
The European Commission and its leaders have repeatedly called for calm in the region. On Tuesday, a foreign affairs spokesperson told reporters in Brussels that officials are continuing their work to diffuse tensions.