Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin and his colleague, head of the Islamic Council of Iran Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf
Photo: Edward CHESNOKOV
We should say: “Tehran” – and the reaction will follow: “1943”. According to the famous conference of allied countries in World War II, which determined the image of the post-war world.
But in today’s Islamic Republic, the attitude towards that event is… controversial. Three superpowers met, they decided among themselves, and Iran was essentially occupied by them, they did not listen to their voice.
But now, in 2023, everything has changed. Iran (or Turkey, or China, in a word, all the players that were on the periphery 80 years ago) have now become growth points, and they want a respectful attitude.
It was with such an agenda that a delegation of State Duma deputies headed by Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin arrived in the capital of the “Southern Neighbor”. With our Russian approach to international politics: where there are no “leaders” and “followers”, like the United States, which wants to pass a special law prohibiting African countries from working with Russia…
In Iran, despite liberal lamentations about “difficulties with feminism,” women work on an equal footing with men
Photo: Edward CHESNOKOV
And here we are in Iran. And immediately – the destruction of templates. When I flew here seven years ago, there was no mobile Internet, I had to, as in 1943, hand over the texts to the editor, dictating to a stenographer on the phone. And now the network is flying, and even the beloved messenger Telegram (forbidden medium) works here, at least from Russian SIM cards.
Yes, and we are warmly received, you notice the details. In the hotel where the Russian delegation lives, at night the pianist plays melodies from Swan Lake. And in the morning, dozens of Iranian journalists storm the building of the Islamic Council, where an inter-parliamentary meeting is taking place: the arrival of guests from Moscow causes a stir. And no wonder:
“Today, the relations between Iran and Russia have captured the attention of the whole world,” said the host of the meeting, the head of the Islamic Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. In fact, the military-technical cooperation between the two powers over the past year is unprecedented.
“The time of the pandemic is over,” says our president Vyacheslav Volodin. – Only by looking into each other’s eyes can a dialogue based on trust be built. Relations between Russia and Iran are developing dynamically, and the presidents of our countries are an example of this. Us [парламентариям — прим. ред.] For our part, everything possible must be done to legislate decisions made at the highest level.
The composition of the delegation speaks for itself: out of almost a dozen “Okhotnoryadtsev” who arrived, two at once (Evgeny Moskvichev and Rifat Shaikhutdinov) represent the parliamentary transport committee. Because since the time of Western sanctions, Iran (itself living under them for a third of a century) has also become the most important logistical point for the export of Russian goods to Africa or to the half-billion-million neighbor Hindustan.
Russian delegation in Tehran greeted with national symbols
Photo: Edward CHESNOKOV
Our countries are historically condemned to good neighborliness. Many joint projects are being implemented. For example, the North-South transport corridor (from Russia to Iran) will become an alternative to the Suez Canal. We cooperate not only in the economy, but also in the creation of a balanced security system in central and southern Eurasia,” explains another member of the delegation, the head of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky.
So a rapprochement between the “Russian bear” and the “Persian cheetah” is inevitable, who have common geopolitical enemies.
We rejoice when Russia overcomes difficulties. We strive to increase the volume of mutual agreements in national currencies, – says the first deputy. President of the Islamic Assembly of the Republic – Ali Nikzad.
By the way, over the past month this is the second trip of our deputies led by Volodin – in mid-December they went on an official visit to Turkey, as KP.RU wrote. For our parliamentary diplomacy it is a systematic strategy to strengthen strategic security throughout the continent. And it is clear why we are successful in dialogue with such difficult partners:
“Russia and Iran together uphold the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, uphold multipolarity and a just world order in the interests of the peoples of our countries,” Volodin emphasizes at a meeting of the inter. -parliamentary commission, citing as an example the joint fight against the terrorist threat in Syria.
– Russia and Iran are successfully resisting the international expansion of the US and NATO today. This is confirmed by the pressure of unprecedented sanctions on our countries”, continues the speaker. -Washington and its satellites, therefore, want to stop the development of our states, interfere in internal affairs.
As another example, this time hostile, Volodin cites a “management prepared from outside”: liberal demonstrations last year in Iran.
“These attempts are doomed to failure, our countries will never submit to the dictates of the outside,” summarizes the chairman of the State Duma.
