Vladimir Putin himself perhaps did not expect so much. Before meeting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Russian President was received by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who warmly congratulated him on the invasion of Ukraine.
“War is a painful way to resolve conflicts” but in the case of Ukraine, “if you had not taken the situation in hand, the other side, by its initiatives, would have started the war”launched the ayatollah to his guest, according to the account of the official agency Irna. For the Supreme Leader, “Western powers oppose the existence of a strong and independent Russia” et “NATO is a dangerous creature”.
The words of the Iranian leader constitute “a signal to the rest of the world”analyze the New York Times. “After the decision by Europe and the United States to impose sanctions on Russia comparable to those which have suffocated the Iranian economy for years, the long-standing relationship between Moscow and Tehran could be strengthened through a partnership larger scale”.
“Russia and Iran are still suspicious of each other, but now more than ever, each needs the other”explains to the New York daily Ali Vaez, responsible for Iran at the International Crisis Group. “It is no longer a chosen partnership, but a necessary alliance”he said.
Challenging isolation
This “show of unity”which offered “a brutal geopolitical counterpoint to the recent visit of the American president to his privileged partners in the Middle East”according The Independentwas also blatant between Putin and Erdogan, who threw flowers at each other on the file of Ukrainian grain exports.
“I would like to thank you for your mediation efforts”thanks to which “we went ahead”launched Vladimir Putin to his Turkish counterpart, who participates with the UN in negotiations between Moscow and kyiv on the export of Ukrainian cereals, blocked by the Russian offensive. “Not all issues are settled yet, it’s true, but there is movement and that’s a good thing”he continued, quoted by The Orient-The Day.
Unity again in the final communiqué on Syria, which insisted on “the determination” of the three countries “continue to work together to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”reports Al-Jazeera.
Au final, Vladimir Poutine “used this trip to consolidate his friendly relations with Iran and Turkey, and to challenge the international isolation imposed on him by the United States and its allies”judge the Wall Street Journal.
But behind the facade smiles and the promises of collaboration, the differences remain strong, underlines the BBC : “Russia, Turkey and Iran do have some common interests, but that is no guarantee of a lasting friendship”.
Car “Turkey and Iran are also rivals of Russia”recalls the British broadcaster. “Turkey and Russia are on opposite sides in Syria and Libya; they both want to be influential in the South Caucasus; Turkish combat drones armed the Ukrainian military. As for Iran, it competes with Russia on the global energy market”.
Positions divergentes
In fact, despite the diplomacy of the final declaration, the positions of the three countries on the Syrian file are far from being aligned. The Turkish president, who announced several months ago his intention to launch a new offensive against the Kurds in Syria, hoped to obtain the green light from Tehran and Moscow on Tuesday. He left empty-handed, wrote the Middle East Eye.
An attack by Ankara would be “detrimental to Syria, Turkey and the region”Ayatollah Khamenei said. “Terrorism must obviously be fought, but a military attack on Syria would only benefit terrorists”he added.
This did not seem to deter Erdogan, who “thanked” ses “Dear friends” for the expression of their “legitimate concerns for the security of Turkey”. Most “Words do not heal wounds”he added, before “reiterate its intention to launch a new offensive in Syrian Kurdistan”reports The country.
“To be all three subject to authoritarian powers, and to share the same adversity vis-à-vis Western democracies, these regional powers are no less divided”, also concludes Time. “Despite Tehran’s boom, the anti-Western front is still struggling to consolidate”.