Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a broad cooperation pact Friday as their countries deepened their partnership in the face of stinging Western sanctions.

Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran on Friday that follows similar pacts with China and North Korea. All three countries are adversaries of the United States, and Russia has used its ties with them to help blunt the impact of Western sanctions and boost its war effort in Ukraine.

Iran has long sought an alliance to protect it in the face of potential conflict with adversaries, but the text of the agreement falls short of obligating either party to provide military support in the event of foreign aggression.

Behrouz Esbati said he partially blamed Russia for the fall of Assad's government, in a rare break from Iran's official line on Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will hold talks in Russia on Jan. 17 after which they will sign a long-awaited comprehensive strategic partnership pact, the Kremlin said on Monday.

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin will host his Iranian counterpart President Masoud Pezeshkian this week for the signing of a broad partnership pact between Moscow and Tehran.

The agreement is focused more on trade than military issues, but it will bring two countries with a shared desire to challenge the West closer together.

Russia and Iran sign a 20-year strategic partnership agreement to bolster military, political, and economic cooperation amid Western sanctions and escalating tensions.

Iranian media have reported that during the visit of Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, to Moscow, a 20-year cooperation treaty was signed between Iran and Russia.

According to the Iranian president, the signing of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia has demonstrated that the two countries "have this very approach."

DUBAI, January 18. /TASS/. Two judges of the Iranian Supreme Court in charge of cases on terrorism and espionage have been shot and killed in downtown Tehran, the Court’s press service said.