Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussed trade growth, according to Russia’s state media. Notably, the discussion seemed to ignore Iran despite the fact that both countries have close relations with the Islamic Republic. Moscow and Beijing have seemingly not done anything to help Tehran over the last week as it has been reeling from Israeli airstrikes.
Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said that last year, trade between the two countries reached a record high, approaching $245 billion, TASS noted. The two leaders discussed economic cooperation and how trade was gaining momentum.
These are two countries that usually discuss how they are altering the world order. Usually, they have these talks alongside Iran, Pakistan, and other countries that also want to shift the world order away from the West. However, now Iran is being weakened by Israel, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any backing. Why is the Islamic Republic being thrown under the bus by its friends?
Moscow ratified a strategic partnership with Tehran this year, but it doesn’t include any kind of military obligation from Russia to Iran. “The signing of the treaty does not mean the establishment of a military alliance with Iran or mutual military assistance,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said in an address to the State Duma.
Russia and China discuss desire to increase cooperation
Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing are talking as if their friends in Iran are not being pressured and possibly defeated by Israel or the US. The Iranian regime could fall, like the Assad regime, another friend of Russia. This would appear to weaken Moscow’s influence in the region.
However, if Russia doesn’t show that it cares, then the loss of Iran won’t be seen to reflect badly on Moscow. This is how it also abandoned Armenia, which had been a close partner of Russia since the 1990s. Moscow stood aside as Azerbaijan defeated Armenia. In essence, it has decided it can sacrifice some friends.
Russia and China discussed their desire to increase cooperation. Russia is no longer part of the G8, which has become the G7. Even though the Trump administration has sought more amicable ties with Moscow, so far, nothing has really changed, and the US wants a Ukraine deal.
Russia and China prefer to work together in economic blocs, such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Iran has sought to form ties with these groups as well so that it can exist outside the Western economic system.
TASS noted that “ahead of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, scheduled for early July, the two heads of state discussed advancing Russian initiatives proposed at last year’s BRICS summit in Kazan. These initiatives include the establishment of a new investment platform aimed at fostering economic growth among BRICS nations and their partners in the Global South.”
This is Moscow’s main interest now. It doesn’t appear to be concerned about the potential fall of the Iranian regime. Putin’s next trip, according to Russian state media, is a trip to Belarus, another partner of Moscow. One wonders if Russia could also abandon Belarus one day.
Moscow is focused on the security of Russian specialists who work at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
“Yesterday, Putin said there is an understanding with Israel that our specialists working at the Bushehr [plant] will not be in danger or face the threat of an attack,” Peskov told media.
In addition, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergey Naryshkin has said that the situation in Iran is critical. Russia has been in touch with Israel and Iran. Naryshkin added, “We are in contact with representatives of both sides of the conflict: with representatives of the respective special intelligence services of both Iran and Israel.”