WSJ: Putin has found an ally for Russia to confront the U.S. in Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin is forging closer trade and military ties with Iran to counter the sanctions pressure from the West, US columnist Benoit Faucon told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
He said international isolation was pushing Moscow to find more areas to work with allies. According to the expert the expansion of trade and military ties between the two states is alarming in the U.S. U.S. policymakers believe that engagement would help both states mitigate the impact of Western sanctions. They said that by doing so, the parties would gain new markets for their products.
“In July, Iran became the world’s largest buyer of Russian wheat. In the same month, Russia launched an Iranian satellite into space, a rare success for Tehran’s space programme. And last week the Iranian military conducted joint drone exercises with Russian forces,” the columnist stressed. He added that the trade turnover between Russia and Iran increased by 10 percent in 2022.
Earlier, The Washington Post journalist David Ignatius also pointed to the dangers of an incipient alliance between Russia and Iran.