TEHRAN – Iran and Russia have further cemented their upward trend in cooperation, signing a new agreement that outlines practical implementation steps for some clauses of the strategic partnership treaty they signed earlier this year.

The three-year cooperation “roadmap” was signed during a ceremony attended by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. It focuses on the expansion of collaboration between the two foreign ministries.

The roadmap builds upon the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, which was signed by the two nations' presidents in January, ratified by the Russian parliament and president over the summer, and formally entered into force in Iran in early October.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Araghchi said the strategic partnership between Iran and Russia has entered “a new, accelerated phase” with the new agreement.

The strategic treaty was designed to govern bilateral relations between Russia and Iran for the next 20 years. It covers a wide range of areas—including defense, counter-terrorism, energy, finance, and culture—with the overarching aims of boosting trade, expanding economic cooperation, mitigating the impact of U.S. sanctions, and strengthening military and political ties.

During the Wednesday briefing with reporters, both Araghchi and Lavrov noted that bilateral cooperation has expanded significantly since the treaty's signing.

The Iranian diplomat stated that he had held substantive discussions with his Russian counterpart. “Today, very close, precise, and detailed negotiations were held on all areas, including bilateral, regional, and international issues,” he said.

The relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia has taken on a strategic trajectory in recent years, according to Mohsen Pak-Ayeen, a former Iranian diplomat who served as Iran's ambassador to Zambia, Uzbekistan, and Thailand.

“The existence of the 20-year comprehensive cooperation document has lent special significance to this partnership,” he explained. “This very strategic position necessitates that the two countries hold continuous and purposeful consultations at various junctures and at short intervals.”

Pak-Ayeen stated that Araghchi's visit to Russia should be evaluated within this very framework—a visit that can lead to greater coordination between Tehran and Moscow in bilateral, regional, and international spheres.

Over the past year, the presidents of the two countries have met five times, and Araghchi himself has visited Moscow on multiple occasions.

The leadership in Iran and Russia has also grown closer over a host of unforeseen challenges. These include the fallout from the Iran-U.S. nuclear negotiations in June, military tensions with the U.S. and Israel, and the attempt by the E3 (Germany, France, the U.K.) to snap back pre-JCPOA UN sanctions.

Russia supported Iran both during the negotiations with the U.S. and after their collapse into war. Moscow maintains that Iran has the right to enrich uranium and has pledged its support should a new war break out with Israel and the U.S. Iran did not request Russian military assistance during the 12-day conflict in June, with authorities telling the Tehran Times that Tehran sought to prove it could handle its enemies independently. However, it is now expected that Iran may turn to Russia to address military gaps revealed during the war, particularly concerning air defense systems and fighter jets.

While neither Iran nor Russia has addressed whether new military exchanges have occurred, Lavrov announced on Wednesday that Moscow is expanding its military and technical cooperation with Iran in accordance with international law.

Russia has also backed Iran at the UN, where the E3 triggered a mechanism to reimpose pre-JCPOA sanctions in August. Russia, alongside China, declared the return of sanctions illegal and stated it would not abide by them. While in Moscow, Araghchi said Tehran is thankful for Russia’s efforts at the UN.

Elsewhere in their remarks to reporters, the two diplomats addressed the broader context of sanctions, as both Iran and Russia are under heavy Western embargoes.

“Moscow stands in solidarity with Iran and other countries in opposing the use of unilateral coercive measures and sanctions,” Lavrov stated, echoing Araghchi’s call for a coalition to counter such illegal actions.

Prior to his arrival in Moscow, Araghchi spent a day in Minsk, where he discussed ways to counter Western sanctions with top Belarusian officials.