Iranian president blames West for Middle East escalation

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that the escalation in the Middle East occurred due to Western countries' desire to access the region's resources, including oil and gas.  

"What is happening in the region now is a redistribution of spheres of influence by Western powers to penetrate the Middle East because it holds reserves of oil, gas, and other minerals," Pezeshkian said in an interview with the Russian live TV channel "Solovyov Live", according to Caliber.Az.

According to the Islamic Republic's leader, even Africa does not interest the West as much as the Middle East, as the continent does not possess the same mineral reserves found in the region.  

On January 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries at the Kremlin. The agreement covers a wide range of areas, including defence, counter-terrorism, energy, financial issues, transportation, industry, agriculture, culture, science, and technology.

The signed agreement states that the intelligence and security services of both countries will exchange information and expertise. Military and military-technical cooperation will continue, along with joint military exercises. Additionally, both nations have pledged to refrain from joining third-party sanctions against one another.

Furthermore, Russia and Iran have agreed to collaborate on developing an independent payment infrastructure, as well as in the areas of arms control, disarmament, and ensuring international security.

By Khagan Isayev