MOSCOW — Russia and Iran cemented their ever-closer relationship Monday with a pair of agreements signed by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin aimed at spurring more of the kind of military and economic cooperation that causes jitters in Washington.
Khatami's visit to Moscow seals a long, deliberate attempt by Russia to curry favor with states outside the U.S. sphere of influence, especially those that are customers for Moscow's arms and weaponry.
"We consider [the military] sphere of our joint activity to be a very important one. It is important both for Iran and the Russian Federation," Putin said after signing the agreements in a Kremlin ceremony. "We believe that Iran must be an independent state capable of defending its national interests."
The United States has tried for years to limit Russian military cooperation with Iran, which Washington accuses of fomenting terrorism and seeking to develop nuclear weapons. In 1995, Russia secretly agreed to curb such cooperation but formally renounced the pact several months ago after it was made public.
Khatami's visit is the clearest example to date of the waning state of U.S.-Russian relations, which have been strained by NATO expansion and the alliance's intervention in Yugoslavia. Moreover, Russia's rhetoric has hardened in recent weeks as the new Bush administration has made clear that relations with Russia will not be a high priority.
Russia's increasing coziness with Iran is designed to earn Moscow much-needed hard currency as well as demonstrate its independence and defiance of Washington.
"Iran and Russia are sovereign states which fulfill their international obligations," said Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry. "Some may like this cooperation, others not. Our countries will continue working together to their advantage."
However, Putin insisted that any arms sales would not violate Russia's international commitments, including those designed to curb nuclear proliferation.
"The applications that Iran and Iranian partners have filed with Russian weapons manufacturers are focused entirely on defensive arms," Putin said. "Iran is not seeking any weaponry outside the framework of international practice and corresponding commitments undertaken by the Russian Federation."
