Iran, Russia to strengthen naval cooperation

TEHRAN – Navy Chief Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said on Tuesday that the cooperation between the naval forces of Iran and Russia will be expanded in the future.

By Javad Heirannia

Erdogan government certainly does not like the Assad regime: ex-CIA official

TEHRAN – Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, tells the Tehran Times that “The Syrian Kurds now have a much stronger incentive than before to reach some sort of understanding with the Assad regime--possibly pledging loyalty to the regime in return for a degree of autonomy in northeast Syria.” 

Baqeri says the geopolitical capacities of Iran and Russia necessitate developing cooperation in various military areas.

Iranian, Russian, generals meet in Tehran

TEHRAN – Vice-Admiral Igor Osipov, deputy chief of the Russian Army General Staff, met on Tuesday with Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri in Tehran.

Russia supports political role for Qaddafi's wanted son in Libya

Russia said it supports a political role for the son of deposed Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, who’s bidding to take over the leadership of the oil-rich North African state.

By staff and agency

There’s mutual understanding with EU to preserve JCPOA: Russian diplomat

There is a mutual understanding between Russia and the European Union to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Russian Permanent Representative to the EU said on Friday.

Moscow warns U.S. against confronting Iran

TEHRAN – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday warned the U.S. and its allies against confronting Iran.

Iran, Russia, Turkey can bring sanctions to its knees: advisor

TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the parliament speaker, said on Friday that Iran, Turkey and Russia can bring U.S. sanctions to its knees, which will give Europe confidence in other international matters as well.

Diplomat calls Iran, Russia reliable partners

TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that Iran and Russia are “reliable partners”.

Zarif: West finally compelled to accept Iran’s political solution to Syrian crisis

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that “the West has now been compelled to accept” Iran’s political solution to the Syrian crisis.

Russia, Iran, Turkey Back New Syria Constitution Body but Fail to Agree Makeup

Russia, Iran and Turkey, supporters of the main sides in Syria's complex civil war, on Tuesday failed to agree on the makeup of a UN-sponsored Syrian Constitutional Committee but called for it to convene early next year to kick off a viable peace process.

Tehran hopes to reach agreement with Russia, Turkey on Syria

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday he hoped to reach an agreement with Russia and Turkey on the composition of a new Constitutional Committee in Syria, Reuters reported.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura set to review joint proposal with foreign ministers in Geneva

Russia, Iran, Turkey seek deal on Syria constitutional body at UN

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura is set to hold talks with foreign ministers from Iran, Russia and Turkey in Geneva to discuss setting up a committee to draft a new constitution for the war-torn country.

Baghdad hosts quadripartite meeting on intelligence sharing

TEHRAN – The annual quadripartite meeting among Iran, Russia, Iraq and Syria was held in Baghdad on Sunday with the aim of intelligence exchange. It came on the anniversary of defeating Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group in Iraq.

Iran, Russia, Turkey to meet UN envoy on Syria next week: UN statement

The United Nations special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura will hold talks with senior officials from Iran, Russia and Turkey, as guarantors of the Syria peace process, in Geneva early next week, a UN statement says.

Russia to continue defending Iran’s interests: envoy

TEHRAN – Moscow will continue to defend the interests of Tehran as a strategic partner, a special envoy for the Russian president has said, IRNA reported on Saturday.

Putin envoy visits Tehran for Syria talks 

TEHRAN – Russian President Putin’s special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev traveled to Tehran on Saturday and sat down for talks with Iran’s Syria negotiator, Hossein Jaberi Ansari.

By Farzad Farhadi

Russian White Swans in the U.S. backyard; Washington terrified  

TEHRAN - On December 10, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced two Russian Tu-160 planes landed at an airport in close proximity to Caracas, Venezuelan capital, after traveling some 10,000 km. The two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived a couple of days after Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which ended with Russia's agreement to invest in Venezuela.  

By Javad Heirannia

PGCC might survive in name only: Chicago professor

TEHRAN – Robert R. Bianchi, a Professor at the University of Chicago, believes that “Nowadays, China and Russia are acquiring greater influence in Iran and the Persian Gulf nations so it is natural that Doha and Muscat are inviting them to balance the destabilizing consequences of American and Saudi policies.”

Two Russian nuclear-capable bombers in Venezuela for joint exercises

A pair of Tu-160 bombers, known as Blackjack”, landed in Caracas on Monday following a 6,200-mile flight, which is said to be aimed at showcasing Moscow’s growing military prowess and shoring up the position of Venezuela’s embattled president, Nicolás Maduro.

Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey to spend $2m on regional startup center

TEHRAN -- Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey are to invest $500,000 each on establishing a regional startup center, Iran’s information and communication technology (ICT) minister has said.

Duma chief: U.S. using terror as pretext for intervention

TEHRAN – Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Saturday that the United States is using terrorism as an instrument to pressure and directly intervene in the affairs of sovereign states, Tasnim reported.

Parliament speakers of six Asian states condemn Chabahar terrorist attack

TEHRAN – Parliament speakers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, China and Iran issued a joint statement at the end of an anti-terrorism conference in Tehran on Saturday condemning the terrorist attack in Chabahar, a port city in southeastern Iran.

OPEC agrees on larger-than-expected oil cut after marathon talks

OPEC finally broke an impasse over production curbs, agreeing on a larger-than-expected cut with allies after two days of fractious negotiations in Vienna.

OPEC yet to agree on final deal

VIENNA- Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said he wasn’t confident OPEC would reach a deal on Friday to cut oil output as sources said the producer group’s leader had yet to agree on exemptions for sanctions-hit Iran. 

Putin says Russia and Saudi Arabia to extend OPEC+ oil pact

Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to extend into 2019 their agreement to manage the oil market, known as OPEC+, although Moscow and Riyadh have yet to agree on any fresh output cuts.

Iran, Russia have great capacity to expand ties: Putin envoy

TEHRAN – There is great capacity to develop relations between Iran and Russia, the Russian president’s special representative for the Caspian littoral states said on Saturday.

Larijani urges Asian states to establish fiscal pacts

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Friday that the Asian countries should take step to establish fiscal pacts and expand banking cooperation.

Astana talks stresses support for Syrian sovereignty 

TEHRAN - The guarantor states of the Astana peace process on Thursday ended their 11th round of talks in the Kazakh capital, reiterating their strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in a joint statement.