Iran’s defense minister on Thursday told a senior visiting military-industrial official from Belarus that Tehran seeks to deepen military cooperation with Minsk as both countries grapple with deep Western sanctions.
“Iran welcomes the expansion of defense and industrial cooperation with friendly and independent countries, and Belarus holds a special place in this partnership,” Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh told Belarus’s chairman of the State Authority for Military-Industrial Cooperation in a visit to Tehran, according to state media.
Iran and Belarus have both turned to Russia for economic and defense support amid harsh sanctions imposed by the United States and Europe, but advanced air defense systems provided by Moscow were likely destroyed in Israeli attacks last year.
Tehran has supplied Moscow with drones and ammunition for its invasion of Ukraine, while Minsk has hosted Russian troops and allowed its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks.
Both governments see closer coordination with Russia as a counterweight to Western pressure.
Minsk and Moscow have been joined in a supranational Union State since 1999.
US sanctions on Belarus include prohibitions on transactions with key government entities such as the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Belarus and the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus, as well as restrictions on exports and re-exports.
Facing sanctions
Iran remains under broad US sanctions targeting its energy, financial and military sectors over its nuclear activities and arms transfers to Russia.
Following a 12-day war with Israel in June and the return of UN sanctions last month, Iran is seeking to rebuild its economy and strengthen its military readiness.
Western countries have called for Tehran to engage in renewed diplomacy with Washington and restored access to international nuclear inspectors.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that Russia would help Iran meet its military needs even after European-triggered international sanctions further restricted trade with Tehran.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, decried the attacks in June as illegal and say US demands that Tehran rein in its defense capabilities are unacceptable.
