PHOTO: Russian and Iranian Defense Ministers meet on Wednesday in Moscow
LATEST
- Rouhani: “No Effort Spared” v. US Supreme Court’s Ruling on $2 Billion in Iranian Assets
- Cartoonist Heidari Freed After 5 Months in Prison
Promoting the developing alliance with Russia, Iran’s Defense Minister said on Wednesday that Tehran and Moscow have defined “specific plans” for military and technical cooperation.
General Hossein Dehghan spoke after a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, held on the sidelines of the 5th Moscow Conference on International Security.
Referring to Iran’s nuclear agreement with the 5+1 Powers, Dehghan said, “Under the current conditions bright horizons can be drawn for strategic cooperation between the two countries in various fields.” He said the cooperation will help return “stability and security” to the world and hasten the eradication of “terrorism”.
Shoigu responded, “We want to develop ties with Tehran in this field. Russia’s Defense Ministry highly values constructive talks with Iran and we are sure that today’s negotiations will strengthen friendly relations between the two countries’ armed forces.”
Iran and Russia have drawn closer because of the Syrian civil war, with the two sides coordinating an escalation in military intervention last autumn to prop up the Assad regime. Moscow began airstrikes — the vast majority on opposition-held territory — while Iran put in more commanders and troops. A series of ground offensives also included Hezbollah and Iranian-led foreign militias.
Earlier this month, Iran finally displayed elements of a Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, nine years after contracts were signed.
Last spring, Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the suspension of the deal from 2010. Iranian officials have proclaimed for months that the deliveries of the advanced systems were imminent.
Rouhani: “No Effort Spared” v. US Supreme Court’s Ruling on $2 Billion in Iranian Assets
President Rouhani said on Thursday said the Government will spare no effort to retrieve $2 billion in frozen assets, despite a US Supreme Court ruling which allows families of victims of terrorism to sue for the money.
Last week’s verdict has added to tension over implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal, with the Supreme Leader — who has already claimed that that the US is undermining the agreement with continued sanctions — citing it as another example of American duplicity.
Under pressure from Parliament to act, Rouhani said the Cabinet has set up a task force to address the “definitely illegal” ruling.
On Wednesday, the President denounced the judgement as “a blatant robbery and a major legal scandal for the US”.
Cartoonist Heidari Freed After 5 Months in Prison
Award-winning cartoonist Hadi Heidari has been freed from prison after five months.
Heidari was arrested in November 2015 over a cartoon published in the reformist Shargh daily three years ago. he was given a one-year sentence.
The cartoon showed a lineup of people, each tying a black blindfold on the next person in line. MPs claimed that the cartoon, published during the Week of Holy Defense marking the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, showed soldiers going to war blindly — 120 legislators called for Heidari’s prosecution for insulting the “soldiers of the sacred defence”.
Heidari posted on his Instagram page, “Hello to freedom! By the grace of God, I was released from Evin Prison tonight after serving time. Thank you all for the kindness.”
