Iran’s Parliament on Wednesday ratified the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement with Russia, solidifying a 20-year roadmap for deepening bilateral cooperation.
The treaty, originally signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian in Moscow on January 17, required approval from both countries' legislative bodies. Russia’s State Duma ratified the agreement in April, while Iran’s government submitted the bill for parliamentary approval earlier this month.
The pact includes 47 articles outlining broad cooperation in military affairs, energy, finance, information technology, and cultural exchange. One of its most significant components is the development of the “North-South Corridor”—an ambitious transport and trade route linking St. Petersburg to India via Iran, the Caspian Sea, and potentially Azerbaijan.
Once operational, the corridor is expected to redirect a significant share of global trade through territories less vulnerable to Western sanctions, thereby challenging traditional geopolitical and economic routes.
The agreement builds on a recent acceleration of bilateral ties. Just last week, Iran joined a free trade agreement with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), designed to strengthen regional economic integration. Additionally, the two nations linked their respective financial systems, with Russia’s MIR and Iran’s Shetab payment networks now interoperable—allowing citizens from both countries to use domestic bank cards across borders.
Iran-Russia relations have notably intensified since 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of sweeping Western sanctions. Tehran has provided Russia with drone technology and other defense-related support, while Moscow is believed to have delivered military equipment such as radar systems and electronic warfare infrastructure to Iran.
Tehran’s ratification of the agreement also marks a broader strategic pivot. In recent years, Iran has moved closer to non-Western multilateral blocs, officially joining both the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS, aligning itself more firmly with the emerging geopolitical coalition led by Russia and China.
The Strategic Partnership treaty now formalizes and expands the growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, signaling a continued realignment of global alliances in the face of increasing East-West competition.