International

Russia and Iran will sign a strategic agreement three days before Trump’s inauguration

Russia and Iran will sign a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement on Friday in the Kremlin, which will include defense cooperation, three days before the investiture of US President Donald Trump.

Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, said that Moscow attaches “great importance” to the signing of the agreement during the first visit to this country of Iranian leader Masud Pezeshkian.

Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin have met twice in recent months, the last time last October in Kazan during the BRICS summit, to prepare the document.

Relations between Russia and Iran have strengthened in recent years, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine, where Moscow has the support of Tehran, which would have supplied drones and even missiles to the Russian side, according to the West.

Russians and Iranians are the great losers of the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Asad, who went into exile last December in Moscow.

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With the background of the mutual assistance clause in case of external aggression signed between Russia and North Korea, on the eve of the visit there was speculation about the possibility that Moscow and Tehran seal a similar agreement.

In view of the antagonism between Iran and Russia on the one hand and Israel and the United States on the other, this would put Moscow in a very delicate situation, when the war in Ukraine has not even ended yet.

Both Foreign Ministers, the Russian Sergei Lavrov and the Iranian Abbas Araqchi, admitted that the 47 points of the agreement will include aspects of defense and security, but denied that it is directed against Washington.

“This agreement, like the one we have with North Korea, is not directed against any other country and has a constructive character,” Lavrov said at a press conference.

He stressed that the document “is aimed at strengthening the capacity of Russia and Iran in various parts of the world (…) and guaranteeing a reliable defense potential.”

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Meanwhile, his Iranian colleague stressed that the document is not a threat to anyone and only represents “a strengthening of common security”.

“One of the main aspects of the agreement is the strengthening of cooperation on security and defence. Iran and Russia have invaluable experience in the fight against terrorism and extremism,” he said.

And he added that this cooperation is aimed at strengthening regional and global stability, and “responds not only to the interests of both countries, but to the interests of peace throughout the world.”

The signing of the agreement will take place on the eve of the arrival at the White House of Donald Trump, who has Tehran in his sights for his second presidential term.

“The numerous speculations about the choice of the date for the signing of the agreement between Iran and Russia on the eve of Trump’s coming to power only provoke a smile. Have fun the supporters of the conspiracy theory!” said Peskov.

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He added that this ceremony “has no influence on the essence of the comprehensive Russian-Iranian agreement.”

In an attempt to reduce tension, Pezeshkian also assured the NBC television channel that his country never tried to assassinate the elected president during the election campaign.

Politicians from both countries commented in recent days that the agreement will facilitate the fight against sanctions and even encouraged other countries to enter a global coalition against the unilateral impositions of the West.

In this regard, Araqchí stressed that it is not “a simple political document, but a roadmap for the future.”

“This is more than an agreement, it is a step towards the creation of a more just and balanced world. Iran and Russia, aware of their historical responsibility, build a new order in which cooperation replaces hegemony and respect for imposition,” he said in an article published by the official agency RIA Novosti.

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Last November, Tehran and Moscow connected their banking systems to boost their trade and financial transactions, in a step to address US and European Union sanctions.

Iran has also advocated that the document paves the way for a deepening of energy cooperation, which would include the transfer of technology and the transit of Russian gas to Middle East countries.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”