Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Tehran in the near future, signaling the continued strengthening of strategic ties between Iran and Russia, according to Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali.

Speaking to Iranian media, Ambassador Jalali emphasized that relations between the two nations have now reached the level of a “strategic partnership,” with regular exchanges of high-level delegations paving the way for closer cooperation in political, economic, and security affairs.

“High-ranking officials are visiting [between our two countries], and we expect Vladimir Putin to visit Tehran soon,” Jalali said, as quoted by the embassy’s press service.

Preparations for Putin’s trip are reportedly underway. On May 14, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and former chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi confirmed that both Tehran and Moscow are coordinating details of the planned visit. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has clarified that the official dates have not yet been finalized.

If confirmed, this would mark President Putin’s sixth official visit to Iran, further underlining the depth and continuity of Russian-Iranian cooperation in recent decades.

Putin’s first trip to Tehran took place in October 2007 for the Caspian Sea littoral states summit, during which he also held his first historic meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, his visits have been frequent and multifaceted. In November 2015, he attended the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. Two years later, in November 2017, he participated in Iran-Russia-Azerbaijan trilateral talks. In September 2018, Putin returned to Tehran to attend the Astana process summit on Syria, and in July 2022, he made another visit for the seventh Astana format summit, amid growing multilateral coordination on regional conflicts.

Each of these visits has been of a working nature, focusing on strategic and regional issues, especially the Syria crisis, energy cooperation, and trade.

The anticipated visit comes as Tehran and Moscow continue to expand cooperation across a wide range of fields, including military, energy, banking, and infrastructure—particularly in response to Western sanctions imposed on both countries.

The two sides have also intensified discussions on alternative financial mechanisms, regional security collaboration, and joint infrastructure projects such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Amid shifting global alliances and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Iran and Russia have increasingly positioned themselves as partners in reshaping a multipolar world order.

Putin’s upcoming visit is expected to further cement this strategic alignment, with analysts predicting agreements on defense cooperation, energy partnerships, and coordination in international forums.

While exact dates remain unconfirmed, diplomatic sources suggest the visit could take place before the end of summer 2025. (ILKHA)