This Monday in Iran, President Ebrahim Raisi and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko signed agreements to boost cooperation on different areas.
During a joint press conference in Tehran with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi announced that the two sides inked agreements to boost bilateral cooperation on different fields.
The agreements encompassed eight areas including trade sector, transportation, agriculture, cultural and artistic activities, extradition of convicts, and implementation of plans on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of establishment of bilateral ties between Iran and Belarus.
“Today we achieved an agreement on a comprehensive roadmap between Iran and Belarus,” Raisi said during the joint conference, adding also that “this comprehensive roadmap between Iran and Belarus outlines political and economic conditions and encompasses all areas of interest between the two countries.”
The Iranian president also asserted that Iran has been able to transform US and Western sanctions into opportunities for extending ties with regional countries, and that his country is “ready to share its experiences of dealing with the sanctions with friendly Belarus as both countries oppose unilateralism”.
Emphasizing on the two countries’ support for constructive collaboration among the independent states against the sanctions, Raisi explained that “we can have very good cooperation by using the capacity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union and promote such cooperation according to the common stances and interests.”
Explaining that his visit to Tehran was aimed at increasing cooperation with Iran to “a new levels”, the Belarusian president said his visit to Tehran would be characterized by maximum efficiency. “This period is characterized by the realization of how much we need each other and how closely we must cooperate in this world,” Lukashenko said.
Rebuking US sanctions against Iran and Belarus, Lukashenko hailed the “tenacity” of Iranians for standing against unfair American embargo. “I observe with great respect every time the tenacity with which your people resist outside pressure and attempts to impose someone else’s will. And how you develop modern technologies and nuclear energy despite everything,” he also noted.
Lukashenko also met with Iran’s Supreme Leader
Lukashenko arrived in Tehran on Sunday and according to Iran’s state media report, he was scheduled to meet with Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber and parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf after his meeting with Iran’s president. The Belarusian President also met with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Countries that are sanctioned by the US must work together and form a joint collective to destroy the weapon of sanctions, and we believe this is doable,” Khamenei told Lukashenko according to his official website.
for his part, Lukashenko said that sanctions could be turned into an opportunity as Iran did so, and explained to Iran’s Supreme Leader that he was looking forward to expanding economic relations with Iran, as he and his Iranian counterpart agreed to set a target of $100m for bilateral trade this year.
Since Raisi took office as president last year, Iran has been more effectively moving towards extending relations with regional countries and organizations. In addition to restoring diplomatic ties with the UAE last year and Saudi Arabia this week, Iran also signed cooperation agreements with China and Russia on various fields.
Back in September 2022, the Islamic Republic under Raisi also could formally join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defense establishment, as a permanent member.
