Belarus and Iran Sign Defense and Strategic Partnership Agreements

Minsk, Aug 21 (AP) The leaders of Belarus and Iran have signed new agreements to strengthen bilateral ties, particularly in key areas such as defense, the two governments have announced. Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian concluded the signing of a set of 13 documents in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Both governments face heavy sanctions that limit their potential trading partners. Pezeshkian noted that Iran would assist Belarus in “neutralizing” these sanctions, leveraging Tehran's decades-long experience in circumventing Western economic restrictions. Lukashenko expressed Belarus's readiness to collaborate with Iran on various issues, ranging from food supply to military-technical cooperation, referring to the Iranian president as a “friend.” Details on defense sector cooperation remain undisclosed, but the agreements also cover industry, tourism, and joint initiatives in science, technology, and education. Access to Belarus's wood processing and chemical industries, along with potash fertilizers, presents potential benefits for Iran. The presidents indicated that work would commence on forming a strategic partnership treaty between their nations. Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has allowed Belarusian territory to be used by Russia as a staging ground for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and permitted the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Iran has supplied Russia with drones used in the conflict, and Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Putin in January, though it did not include a mutual defense clause. The Iranian president's visit to Minsk had been delayed several times due to US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Lukashenko condemned these strikes, calling them “a serious threat to regional and international stability and security.” He affirmed support for Iran's “legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy.” (AP) GRS GRS

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