The Seventh Vladivostok Economic Forum: What are the areas for economic cooperation between Russia and Iran?

The nature of the Russian-Iranian relationship is a quasi-strategic alliance, which sometimes faces some differences, which is normal among allied countries, which share many ties with each other, and overlap interests in different regions.

But on the other hand, the commonalities between the two countries remain, much more than the points on which the two sides may differ.

Iran, the Islamic Republic, has suffered for years since 1979 from Western sanctions, after which it entered a devastating war with Iraq that lasted for eight years, from which the country emerged militarily and economically exhausted.

Therefore, all these circumstances were a catalyst for Iran to build itself in size of capacity that would allow it to withstand, and also it was necessary to search for reliable friends, and Russia was at the forefront of those countries.

Iran stayed for long in isolation, and its tense relations with its Arab neighbors, and what is more funny, among the Arabs consider Iran an enemy and more danger than Israel, as Iran has remained a concern for all of them, and therefore these circumstances were like a compass for Iran to adjust its tracks, form its positions and adopt its strategies.

Looking at the Iranian map, we see its western borders from its entire south in an area of ​​constant tension, and in the north it has a view of the southern Caucasus and Turkey, which is no different from being a focus of tension lacking long-term stability, while in the east we find Pakistan from the southeast, and then Afghanistan, which occupies the largest space from the eastern border, mentioning the name of Afghanistan is enough to explain the situation.

Next we find the Caspian Sea, which is a direct port connecting Iran to Russia.

Russia is constantly looking for new, larger horizons and areas of cooperation with Iran, and therefore the numbers of trade exchange between the two countries must continue to rise.

At the present time, the volume of trade exchange between Russia and Iran amounted until the end of last year to $4.035 billion.

This figure, when compared to the volume of trade exchange between Russia and Türkiye, for example, is very meager, as the volume of trade exchange between Türkiye and Russia currently stands at $33 billion.

The areas of Russian-Iranian cooperation in the fields of investment in the energy industry in general are very large and feasible for both.

Also, the opportunities to export Iranian agricultural products to Russia should be very large, in addition to the areas of cooperation in defense and technical manufacturing, construction sectors, infrastructure services, and the development of Iranian banking systems, through Iran’s entry into the Russian banking SPFS system, and even the opportunity for Iran to join BRICS.

The availability of investment opportunities within Russia for Iranian companies also plays a distinct way out of isolation, while providing opportunities for Russian investors to enter the Iranian market, and to discuss effective partnership methods to bypass sanctions and overcome any problems that stand in the way of developing economic cooperation between the two countries.

Therefore, the 7th East Economic Forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok, during the period from 5 to 8 September 2022, creates an opportunity for Iranian companies, investors and Iranian economists to attend Russia and participate in the work of the forum, and to discover opportunities for cooperation, both with Russia and with representatives of many countries.

The opportunity that the forum provides to Iran is considered important and distinctive in its timing, at a time when Iran is still in the midst of negotiations over its nuclear file, in light of the country’s economy suffering from very harsh conditions, and it needs an opportunity to open important trade and economic doors, especially with Russia.

Since the Western sanctions packages imposed on Russia, Russia hasn’t been late in finding alternatives to those countries that have classified themselves as unfriendly countries to Russia, and thus Western vacant seats in Russia are filled by companies from other countries, so this year’s forum is a golden opportunity provided by Russia and here we are talking about Iranian companies, to enter and occupy these places, for what could benefit them.

Russia’s presence with a group of friendly countries such as China, India and Iran, in a region rich in promising resources, capabilities and opportunities, makes all of these countries independent of American and Western hegemony.

Through their joint cooperation, these countries can build and raise the standard of living of their people without the need for the west.

Russia has all the resources that help it to do what is required, but Russia still needs friendly countries and allies to be by her side, and for those friendly countries, and Iran at the forefront of these countries, to get all the well-deserved gains that befit Iran’s position and crown the alliance relationship distinguished Russia and Iran.