TEHRAN — An expert on international affairs said on Saturday that the official invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi is a sign of Iran's geopolitical position and also as an important and influential country.

Hassan Hanizadeh referred to the visit of Iranian president to Russia at the invitation of President Putin, saying that the visit can be analyzed in the framework of Iran-Russia consultations during the previous years.

Raisi visited Russia on Wednesday and Thursday. He was accompanied by key ministers of foreign affairs, oil and economy.

Hanizadeh also referred to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian to China on January 13-14, saying, “After Amir Abdollahian’s visit to China, in which the implementation of the strategic document of the 25-year Iran-China agreement took effect, naturally, Russia, as the other side of the China Iran and Russia triangle is of great importance in terms of regional cooperation between the three major countries in the region, and this visit proved so.”

Emphasizing that the Raisi trip to Moscow has very important consequences and will lead to the formation of a joint economic and political bloc in the region, Hanizadeh said Russia is a security, military, political and economic partner to Iran.

Amir Abdollahian said Raisi’s visit to Russia marks a turning point in the policy of good neighborliness and “looking to the East”. He also said the principled position of Iran is that the security of the region must be provided by the countries of the region. 
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized its principled policy of strengthening good neighborliness, building trust and dialogue with its neighbors, and considers lasting security possible only through cooperation, partnership and peace,” Fars reported.

According to Al Jazeera, analysts say Tehran’s relations with Moscow will be bolstered following Iranian president’s visit to Russia, regardless of the fate of the nuclear deal.

Given Iran’s geopolitical position outside the U.S sphere of influence, the relationship with Tehran makes sense for Chinese leaders who know they can engage with a willing partner, Scott Harold, an expert on Chinese foreign policy at the RAND Corporation, told Foreign Policy.
Bradley Bowman and Zane Zovak, writing in Foreign Policy, believe it’s a relationship Washington should keep a close eye on.

Russia, which has a veto right at the United Nations Security Council, is a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the official name for the 2015 nuclear deal.

Hanizadeh said over the years Russia has played an influential role in the JCPOA and the continuation of the Iran-P4+1 talks in Vienna to revive the nuclear pact.

“This trip can have very positive consequences,” the expert asserted.

Iran, China and Russia held a one-day joint naval exercise in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.

According to Hanizadeh, the maneuver can help form a non-offensive set for joint cooperation while protecting the interests of all three countries.

“Mr. Raisi’s visit to Russia can have very important consequences for the stability and establishment of the region and the economic prosperity of the three countries of China, Iran and Russia,” Hanizadeh emphasized.

He also said, "Russia is facing a dramatic situation in Ukraine and the United States and NATO are trying to bring Ukraine into the NATO alliance, and this will be very dangerous for Russia's national security."

According to the expert, the recent crises in Kazakhstan, and the fact that the United States is provoking some movements in this country, is another security threat to Russia, and all of these issues can increase Russia's level of fragility in face of NATO.

He added that Iran with an important geopolitical position and economic capacity, especially in the energy sector, can form a joint economic, security, political and military bloc with Russia and China.

China and Russia need Iran

The expert further stressed that considering that Iran has the most focal position in the North-South corridor and is located in the Silk Road belt, it is considered one of the most pivotal countries in the region and the world in terms of geopolitics and geostrategy.

“Iran's political, economic and military capabilities are needed to withstand the threats of arrogant powers. Therefore, before Iran needs Russia and China, these two countries with veto power also need to cooperate with Iran in terms of Iran's position among Islamic countries and can effectively help reduce trans-regional threats against these two countries,” the expert concluded.