A major Iranian automobile manufacturer announced on Wednesday an agreement to send vehicles to Russia and Belarus. The deal follows Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s visit to Iran in March and further demonstrates strong relations between Russia and Iran.
SAIPA, the second-largest carmaker in Iran after Iran Khodro, said it will send 45,000 vehicles to Russia and Belarus within three years. The contract is worth 450 million euros ($497 million). SAIPA will specifically send the following three vehicles to Russia and Belarus, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.
- Shahin — a sedan
- Quik — a “small family car”
- Saina — a subcompact sedan
Why it matters: Iran and Russia have had strong relations for years. Most recently, Iran has supplied Russia with drones for use in the invasion of Ukraine. In March, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visited Moscow to discuss military cooperation between the two countries.