Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi at the Kremlin on Wednesday and discussed the crisis in Syria and other international issues.
Mr Putin noted that shared efforts by Moscow and Tehran have played a key role in “helping the Syrian government overcome the threats posed by international terrorism”.
Russia and Iran have joined forces to shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad, helping his government reclaim most of the country’s territory after a devastating civil war.
Moscow has performed a delicate balancing act, maintaining contacts with Iran while also building warm relations with Israel, which views the Iranian presence in Syria as a red line.
In 2018, Russia struck a deal with Iran to keep its fighters away from the Golan Heights to accommodate Israeli concerns about the Iranian entrenchment in Syria.
Russia also has actively taken part in international talks aimed at salvaging Iran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
The US withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump, while President Joe Biden has signaled he wants to rejoin the deal.
The 2015 agreement was intended to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme in return for loosened economic sanctions.
Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China are still part of the agreement.
During the talks on Wednesday, Mr Putin also told Mr Raisi he would like to discuss their shared concerns about the situation in Afghanistan.
Mr Raisi, a conservative cleric elected last year, said Iran was willing to expand co-operation with Russia in the political, economic, defence and security spheres, and in space exploration.
Last month, Iran launched a rocket into space with a satellite carrier bearing three devices, a move intended to show the nation’s growing technological prowess amid a standoff in talks on curtailing its nuclear programme.
Mr Raisi told Mr Putin Iran has drafted a proposed agreement on “strategic co-operation” between the countries for the next 20 years.
“We would like to develop strong and multifaceted ties with Russia,” Mr Raisi said. “These relations should be durable and strategic.”
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Company%20Profile
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Sri Lanka's T20I squad
Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani