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Russian President Vladimir Putin met his new Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian for the primary time on Friday, as Tehran is predicted to hunt Moscow’s assist to improve its army to counter the specter of assault by Israel.

Iran is nearly sure to face army retaliation for an enormous missile assault on Israel on October 1, launched in help of its ally Hizbollah. Analysts say that, as a part of its deterrence, Tehran is taking a look at Russian know-how similar to S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries in addition to digital warfare techniques and fighter plane.

The assembly, on the sidelines of a gathering of central Asian leaders in Turkmenistan, comes forward of the anticipated signing of a strategic settlement between Russia and Iran at a summit in Kazan later this month, which can contact on defence co-operation.

Pezeshkian, forged as a reformer who took workplace in July, stated after assembly Putin that the 2 nations’ positions on world points “are a lot nearer than these of different states” and that they “can help one another”, state media reported.

Putin, for his half, invited Pezeshkian to Russia for a state go to. “We’re actively working collectively on the worldwide area. Our evaluation of occasions going down on the planet are sometimes very shut, even concurrent,” the Russian chief stated.

Tehran has been capitalising on the rift that has emerged between Russia and the west for the reason that 2022 invasion of Ukraine, utilizing that as a chance to determine a stronger strategic relationship with the Kremlin.

US and Ukrainian officers final month charged that Iran had shipped a whole bunch of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to be used in Ukraine. US secretary of state Antony Blinken warned that Russia would share know-how in change, together with nuclear know-how.

Iran denies supplying any weapons to Russia to be used in opposition to Ukraine, together with missiles. It has confirmed the sale of drones however stated that deal was made previous to the warfare.

Tehran might be urgent Russia for superior surface-to-air missiles just like the US Patriot system, stated Sidharth Kaushal, senior analysis fellow on the Royal United Service Academy in London. It could additionally need to get hold of digital warfare techniques that may jam precision-guided munitions, he added.

Iranian army officers have beforehand confirmed that the Islamic Republic can be looking for to exchange its ageing fleet of fighter plane with Russian-made Sukhoi jets. Iran’s deputy defence minister stated in late 2023 {that a} deal had been finalised with Russia for an unspecified variety of Sukhoi Su-35s, however there was no timetable for supply.

“Fashionable Russian plane would give them some air-to-air functionality in comparison with the relics that the Iranians are working,” stated Kaushal, noting that its present jets are principally from earlier than the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Russian air defence techniques would make any Israeli assault on Iran riskier for all however essentially the most superior fighter jets, and the 400km vary of the S-400 would additionally put air-to-air refuelling tankers in danger, which might be needed for any Israeli air strike on Iran, he stated. Russia delivered 5 to 6 items of the S-300, the predecessor to the S-400, to Iran in 2016 in a $800mn deal.

Kaushal added, nevertheless, that Russia was unlikely to have the ability to spare a lot weaponry for Iran from its combat in Ukraine.

Hanna Notte of the James Martin Middle for Nonproliferation Research in Berlin additionally stated that Russia must stability its relationship with Iran in opposition to different companions within the Center East, similar to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which might oppose the sale of superior weapons to Tehran.

Plenty of Israeli politicians have known as for an amazing response to Iran’s assault, which included greater than 180 missiles however did not inflict important harm on Israel.

“Our strike might be highly effective, exact and above all stunning,” Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant stated this week. Washington has instructed Israel to keep away from nuclear websites in addition to vitality infrastructure.

Extra reporting by Bita Ghaffari in Tehran