What has deepened the existing tension in the Middle East is that Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the Russian Security Council, has now landed in Iran to attend meetings with the country’s leaders.
Shoigu’s visit occurred against the backdrop of the recent killing of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas Palestinian militant leader, in Iran. The killing has triggered more concern over an expanded war in the region, with Iran accusing Israel and threatening to “avenge” the Israeli state. On the other hand, there is no statement from the Israeli authorities admitting to the killings.
Interfax news agency reported that Shoigu will also meet with Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian national security chief, and the Iranian head of general staff while in Tehran.
The visit is viewed as evidence of the development of cooperation between Russia and Iran, especially given the worsening relations between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has normalized its relations with Iran from the beginning of the conflict, and it is stated that Russia and Iran are currently planning to ink a strategic cooperation accord.
In the first half of this year, Reuters said Iran has supplied a large batch of effective surface ballistic missiles to Russia. The United States has also claimed that Russia is strengthening its defense relations with Iran, saying that Moscow has received hundreds of one-way attack drones that Moscow is using to bombard Ukrainian targets, an accusation Russia denies.
Even the consolidation of the ‘Russia–Iran’ axis seems to have brought a stronger tone to this area’s conflict, with both Russia and Iran denouncing the killing of the Hamas leader and stressing the ‘very dangerous ramifications’ of such a move.
Since the situation in the Middle East is still tense, the community expects the Russian Security Council secretary’s visit to Tehran, and it seems that everyone wishes that the talks will not deepen the ongoing conflicts in the region.
