TEHRAN, Iran — After weeks of heated campaigning and controversial televised debates, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani managed to secure a second term in the May 19 presidential elections. Now, with electoral passions considerably eased, the question of possible change in both Iran's domestic and foreign policy is being seriously raised, leading many observers to debate Rouhani’s priorities and approaches in his second term.

When it comes to foreign policy, most of the discussions have been focused on the prospect of Iran’s relations with the West, and particularly the future of the nuclear deal under the new regional and international circumstances. However, another very important but highly overlooked issue is that of the future of Iran-Russia relations, which have in past years become a determinative factor in shaping developments in the Middle East — especially in Syria.

In analyzing the Iran-Russia relationship, it could be said that considering the current trend in relations as well as the official positions adopted regarding their bilateral ties, the next four years will be a period in which we will likely see an even closer partnership.

On the bilateral level, the two sides have been quick in clarifying their prospects in the coming years. Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first world leaders who congratulated Rouhani on his “convincing victory” in the May 19 elections, reaffirming his readiness to develop the Tehran-Moscow partnership on bilateral and international issues. A week later, on May 27, the two leaders held a phone conversation in which they discussed a range of issues, from implementation of the nuclear deal to the situation in Syria. One particularly important part of the conversation was Putin’s underlining of Moscow’s commitment to further develop cooperation with Iran in the nuclear field on the basis of international law. On his part, Rouhani welcomed nuclear cooperation between the two countries, also stressing Iran’s willingness to also engage in closer cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, industry, energy and banking. He additionally stressed the necessity of strengthening the Tehran-Moscow partnership in Syria.