Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a working visit to Iran on July 19 to participate in trilateral talks to resolve the situation in Syria. 

“During the talks with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, further joint steps will be considered in order to establish lasting peace and stability in the Syrian Arab Republic.

In particular, it is meant to discuss a set of measures aimed at the final elimination of the hotbed of international terrorism, the advancement of the inter-Syrian peace process and the solution of humanitarian issues, including the problems of post-conflict reconstruction,” the press release on the Kremlin’s website says.

Recall that Russia, Iran and Turkey are the guarantors of the Astana format for the settlement of the conflict in Syria.

This format has been operating since 2017, when the negotiations between the delegations of Russia, Iran, Turkey, as well as representatives of the Syrian leadership and the Syrian opposition were held in Astana for the first time. 

  • Meeting of the heads of Russia, Iran and Turkey, 2018

  • RIA News

  • © Alexey Nikolsky

As Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, noted earlier in an interview with the Iranian State Radio and Television, the Astana format has demonstrated its effectiveness.

“This is a very important format that has shown its viability,” said the representative of the head of state.

Peskov stressed that this is "the only international format that really contributes to the Syrian settlement now."

In turn, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov informed that a joint statement would be adopted following the summit in Tehran.

As experts recall, the participation in the Syrian negotiations of Russia, Iran and Turkey made it possible to stabilize the situation and significantly reduce the level of violence in the SAR.

“The Astana format turned out to be really effective.

Moreover, all its participants recognize that it gives positive results.

Thanks to him, it was possible to launch the process of searching for a political settlement in Syria.

Western Europeans and Americans sabotaged these attempts, declaring that while Assad is sitting in Damascus, they will not do anything.

Moreover, they persuaded the Syrian opposition to take a tougher stance.

Nevertheless, the Astana format is working, ”explained RT professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, orientalist Alexander Vavilov.

However, despite the progress in the Syrian settlement, the negotiators still have many questions that need to be answered, Vavilov added.

“So far it has not been possible to solve all the problems, because in many respects it depends on the development of the intra-Syrian dialogue.

In addition, there is the question of restoring Syria, which has been destroyed by many years of war.

This topic will also be discussed at the meeting.

And of course, they will raise the question of how the preparations for the adoption of the new Constitution of the republic are going on,” says Alexander Vavilov.

He did not rule out that the meeting could also talk about a potential new Turkish military operation in Syria.

In June, Turkish media reported that Ankara had completed preparations for an operation against the Syrian Kurds, whom the Turkish authorities accuse of terrorism.

It was noted that the Turkish military allegedly took up combat positions around the Syrian cities of Tall Rifat and Manbij and fired artillery at night.

“This issue will be raised.

Our position has been communicated to our Turkish partners - we are against this operation, it can only complicate an already difficult situation, ”Vavilov said.

The fact that this topic will be discussed in Tehran was also mentioned on July 18 by Yury Ushakov, an aide to the President of the Russian Federation.

“As for Turkey’s plans to conduct a new operation against Kurdish formations in northern Syria, this issue will naturally be discussed ... The Russian principled position is that we oppose any actions that violate the basic principle of the Syrian settlement, which is enshrined in the relevant resolutions Security Council and in the decisions of the Astana format.

This is respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria,” Ushakov said.

"Our friend and partner"

In addition to negotiations in the Astana format, Vladimir Putin intends to hold a number of bilateral meetings in Tehran.

In particular, according to Dmitry Peskov, the Russian leader will meet with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In a conversation with Iranian journalists, Peskov praised the relations between Russia and Iran.

“Iran is our friend and partner.

Indeed, we value our relations very much and attach great importance to them.

It is gratifying that the heads of state, the presidents of the two countries are in the process of constant communication - this year alone they have communicated four times.

Just recently they had a meeting in Ashgabat,” he said.

Russia and Iran have an opportunity to build cooperation in order to minimize the consequences of Western sanctions, Peskov said.

He recalled that Iran has been under sanctions for more than a decade and has adapted well to them.

Russia, he said, is also used to restrictions.

“We have the opportunity to build bilateral cooperation that will allow us to minimize the damage from these bilateral sanctions,” Peskov said.

  • Vladimir Putin and Ibrahim Raisi at a meeting in Moscow

  • RIA News

  • © Pavel Bednyakov

He also said that Russia and Iran may soon sign a comprehensive partnership agreement.

In mid-June, the Russian version of the text of the treaty was handed over to the Iranian side.

He was highly appreciated in Tehran, said the press secretary of the Russian president.

“We hope that after some additional changes, taking into account the opinion of the Iranian side, are made and agreed upon, it will be possible to sign fairly quickly and in the near future,” Peskov said.

In addition, he said that the Russian Federation and Iran may move away from the practice of measuring the volume of mutual trade in dollars.

“Last year, the volume of trade and economic relations between the two countries slightly exceeded $4 billion. Although, it may be wrong to count them in US dollars.

And over time, we will probably move away from this practice, as we develop our cooperation in the banking and financial sector, ”said the press secretary of the head of the Russian Federation.

Dmitry Peskov believes that the volume of trade between the two states will only grow, since the potential of the two countries is “very large”.

In an interview with the Iranian State Radio and Television, he also expressed the hope that the current temporary agreement on a free trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union will become permanent, which "will give ... interaction an additional impetus."

In turn, Yuri Ushakov said that Vladimir Putin and Ibrahim Raisi will discuss the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian Nuclear Program (JCPOA).

Recall that the United States under President Donald Trump withdrew from this agreement.

Now Tehran and Washington are negotiating to resume it, but so far without success.

Ushakov added that the Russian Federation is in favor of restoring the JCPOA.

The assistant to the President of the Russian Federation also stressed that Moscow and Tehran intend to bring bilateral relations to the "level of strategic partnership."

According to analysts, the signing of a comprehensive partnership agreement with Iran will be an important milestone in the development of cooperation between the two countries.

“Now there is a discussion of Iran's proposals.

Since this is a comprehensive long-term treaty, it should be worked out very well by both the Iranian and Russian sides.

Some work still needs to be done, so it is difficult to talk about any deadlines.

But the fact that there is movement in this direction is very important, ”Irina Fedorova, an employee of the Center for the Study of the Countries of the Near and Middle East of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained in an interview with RT.

She also positively assessed Dmitry Peskov's statement about a possible refusal to estimate the trade turnover between Russia and Iran in dollars.

“Iran has been under US sanctions for a very long time and does not have the ability to officially conduct transactions in dollars.

Russia also faces similar challenges.

Therefore, of course, operations and trade in national currencies are very important.

I think that certain agreements in this direction can be reached just in Tehran, ”Fyodorova noted.

According to her, Russia and Iran today have a special relationship.

“Now relations between Moscow and Tehran are not just partnerships.

They are distinguished by very close cooperation in different directions.

For Russia, the experience of Iran in overcoming the sanctions that have been and are being imposed on Iran for more than 40 years is extremely important.

Under these conditions, it is very important for countries to cooperate and overcome dependence on these restrictions together,” the expert explained.

"Waiting for good news from Tehran"

The Kremlin also announced a bilateral meeting between Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This information was confirmed by the Turkish side.

  • Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan

  • RIA News

  • © Vladimir Smirnov

According to Yuri Ushakov, the meeting will discuss, in particular, the issue of grain export from Ukraine.

At the moment, this cannot be done due to the fact that Kyiv has mined the approaches to the ports.

Interest in this topic in the light of the upcoming meeting was also shown in the UN.

At a briefing on Monday, Deputy Representative of the Secretary-General of the organization Farhan Haq said that the UN will monitor the summit of Russia, Iran and Turkey and welcomes the coordination of the main parties in the negotiations on grain exports from Ukraine.

“We do not have any special expectations from this meeting in relation to the grain negotiation process, which is a separate topic.

But, of course, we are following the development of events and their results.

We welcome any coordination among the main participants in these discussions,” he said. 

Analysts, for their part, remind that Ankara is now involved in resolving the issue with Ukrainian food.

“The Ukrainian crisis will be discussed, because the Turks are quite actively involved in this situation.

They are involved in the discussion of the supply of wheat, food,” says Vavilov.

In addition, according to Yuri Ushakov, the parties will discuss economic cooperation.

“We have planned to hold special consultations with our Turkish colleagues, which are devoted to the issues of further improvement and expansion of Russian-Turkish cooperation, including the transition to mutual settlements in national currencies,” he said.

Ushakov added that the leaders plan to "discuss key issues of Russian-Turkish cooperation, the implementation of flagship projects in the trade and economic sphere, as well as substantively consider a number of international topics, including the situation around Ukraine."

“Our relations with Turkey are quite multi-vector and diverse, therefore, political issues, including the situation in Syria, and issues of developing bilateral cooperation will be discussed.

It is important to note here that Turkey did not support Western sanctions.

Perhaps there will be talk of military cooperation.

Despite pressure from the West, the Turks continue to work with us on the military-technical line,” says Alexander Vavilov.

In general, experts positively assess the current level of interaction between Russia, Iran and Turkey.

“This is a real force, real players who are very important, including in the Syrian settlement.

I believe that we can expect good news from Tehran after Vladimir Putin's meeting with the leadership of Iran, with President Raisi and with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also be of great importance,” concluded Irina Fedorova.