ISW reveals why Russian State Duma Speaker Volodin flew to Iran

This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War. 

American analysts have stated that Russia continues to ”deepen military and economic relations with Iran”. On January 23, Vyacheslav Volodin met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran.

According to ISW, after the talks, Ghalibaf said that Moscow and Tehran should strive to strengthen ties in the banking, energy, and commodity-trading sectors “in the face of American sanctions, which Volodin credited for bringing the two countries closer together.” 

Sources in the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also suggested further military cooperation efforts between Tehran and Moscow. The Tasnim News published an editorial claiming that a Russian-Iranian joint production agreement could allow Iran to obtain Russian Mi-28 and Ka-52 attack helicopters. 

“Tehran and Moscow are likely looking to these agreements to mitigate the pressure of sanctions levied against them by the US,” ISW concluded.

• On January 23, the United States announced new sanctions against high-ranking Iranian officials and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.