Russo-Iranian Developments

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) — The war on terror was on the agenda when two of the U.S.’s unlikely allies — Russia and Iran — met on Tuesday.

Russian and Iranian defence ministers were also to sign an arms deal as part of plans for “expanding” relations between the two, reports say.

Russia has backed the U.S.-led coalition against terror, saying it is fighting terrorists in Chechnya, while Iran condemned the hijack strikes on the U.S. but wants the U.N. to lead any fight against terrorism.

Iran’s Defence Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani arrived in Moscow on Monday for an official five-day trip which will take in bilateral issues including defence co-operation and arms trade.

The meeting had been arranged before the hijack strikes against the U.S. but have taken on more significance in the aftermath of the terror attack.

“Today our cooperation is becoming more urgent. The situation prompts that,” the Interfax news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

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Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said he would sign an arms sale agreement with his Iranian counterpart, Interfax news agency said.

Russia notified the United States last year that it was pulling out of the Gore-Chernomyrdin memorandum, under which Russia agreed not to sell arms to Iran after December 31, 1999.

Selling arms to Iran could add $300 million annually to Russian budget revenues, experts believe.

The arms sale agreement to be signed is in fact a framework agreement, Ivanov told the media.

“We are interested in expanding our relations with Iran, our neighbour and partner, in the scientific, cultural, economic and other fields as well as in defence,” Ivanov said.

At the moment the supplies of Russian arms to Iran are not large because the country is only honouring the commitments made during Soviet times or in early 1990s, Ivanov said.

Iranians are especially interested in having S-300PMU-1 and S- 300PMU-2 Favorit air defence systems to protect the Busher nuclear power station and other strategic installations, sources told Interfax news agency said.

They also want to buy Buk M1 and Tor-M1 air defence missiles, Su- 27 fighter planes, and missile carrying, landing and patrol boats.

International issues will also be discussed such as the division of the Caspian Sea into zones of influence between countries bordering the sea.

Shamkhani, whose visit will end on Friday, October 5, will visit several defence plants in the St. Petersburg and Moscow regions, sources said.

The visit had originally been planned for September 4 – 8 but was put off at Iran’s request because it was to take place while Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was visiting Moscow.