Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi watched the signing of an agreement via video link on Wednesday to finance and build an Iranian railway as part of an international transport corridor to rival the Suez Canal, Reuters reported.

The Rasht-Astara railway is seen as an important link in the corridor, which is designed to connect India, Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and other countries by rail and sea – a route that Russia says could rival the Suez Canal as a major global trade route.

“The unique North-South transport artery, which will also include the Rasht-Astara railway, will contribute to the significant diversification of world transport flows,” Putin said.

He also noted that the 162-kilometer railway line along the coast of the Caspian Sea will help connect Russian ports on the Baltic Sea with Iranian ports in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.

“Without a doubt, this agreement is an important and strategic step in the direction of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow,” Raisi said.

Russia and Iran have been pushed to strengthen their political and economic ties by Western economic sanctions imposed on both, which both consider unjustified.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran has been ostracized by the West and its economy crippled by a host of sanctions.

Iran owns about a quarter of the Middle East’s oil reserves.

The West has also imposed another set of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, and Russia has been sanctioned over its actions in Ukraine.

“Unprecedented partnership”

Iran and Russia are “going to expand unprecedented military cooperation,” a White House spokesman said Monday, referring in particular to Moscow’s desire to acquire more advanced Iranian drones, Agerpres reported.

“We are using the tools at our disposal to condemn and deter this activity, and we stand ready to do more,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

He added that the United States would announce new sanctions “in the coming days” against entities or individuals involved in these transactions between the two countries.

“This is a full military partnership that is harmful for Ukraine, for the Middle East and for the international community,” he said during a meeting with several journalists.

“There are ongoing contacts between Iran and Russia regarding the sale of more advanced weapons, especially more advanced drones,” the spokesman said, estimating that Iran has supplied Russia with more than 400 drones, mostly of the Shahed type, since August.

Instead, the United States “detected no movement” related to the possible supply of Iranian ballistic missiles to the Russian military.

Iran wants to buy military equipment worth billions of dollars from Russia

In contrast, on military aid coming from Russia to Iran, Washington has made it clear that Tehran, in addition to Russian fighter jets, is “looking to acquire other military equipment, including attack helicopters, radars and a Yak-130 jet trainer,” John said. Kirby.

“Iran wants to buy military equipment from Russia for the total amount of several billion dollars,” he said.

The US government plans to announce new measures soon to “help governments and companies better understand the risks associated with Iran’s drone program and Iran’s illegal procurement practices,” John Kirby explained.

The goal, he says, is to spur action so those same governments and companies don’t “unintentionally” contribute to Iran’s drone production.

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