Iran’s president makes first visit to Russia

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has made his first trip to Russia today, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vice President Mohammad Mokhber, who led the cabinet meeting today in Tehran, called the visit “a fundamental change in international relations.” It will be the first meeting between the two leaders, who were scheduled to meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The meeting was postponed when one of Putin’s aides was reportedly infected with COVID-19. Raisi and Putin have reportedly spoken on the phone. 

Ebtekar Newspaper called Raisi’s journey to Moscow a “strategic trip” and noted that Putin was the first world leader to congratulate Raisi on his election victory in 2021. The report read that one topic of discussion between Raisi and Putin will be the status of Iran’s permanent membership in the Eurasion Economic Union, an economic bloc of post-Soviet states in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In 2018 Iran signed a three-year free trade agreement with the EEU. Permanent membership in the EEU would help Iran with US sanctions, and Iran needs Russia’s support to become a permanent member.