Iran-Russia ties present significant risks to Middle East and beyond US Department of State says

Spokesman for the US Department of State Matthew Miller has said that strengthening ties between Iran and Russia could lead to destabilisation not just in the Middle East, but globally.

Miller made this statement during a recent briefing, Caliber.Az reports, citing the message posted on the US Department of State's website.

He responded to concerns about the potential involvement of Russia, supporting Iran, in the Middle Eastern conflict.

“So certainly we see the deepening ties between Iran and Russia as something that’s incredibly destabilizing for the region. It’s incredibly destabilising for the world, and that applies to the Middle East. It applies to everywhere that Iran and Russia operate,” he added.

Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that relations between Russia and Iran will develop on a consistent and continuous basis. 

He emphasised that deepening cooperation would help alleviate the sanctions pressure faced by Tehran and Moscow from Western countries during a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.

Shoigu paid an unannounced visit to Iran on September 17, where he delivered a message from President Putin to the Iranian leader. Iran described Israel's Iron Dome as "leaky".

By Naila Huseynova