Transcript of Press TV interview on ratification of comprehensive cooperation agreement

Transcript submitted by a reader
-------------

Joining us now out of Brussels is Gilbert Doctorow, Independent International Affairs Analyst. For more on the story, Mr. Gilbert Doctorow, pleasure to check in with you. Hope you're safe and doing well this afternoon out there in Brussels. Your initial thoughts on the ramifications iInvolved here of this multi-year, we could call it a multi-decade pact between Tehran and Moscow.

Doctorow: it underlines the closeness of the two countries. And that is particularly relevant at this moment when the United States is negotiating on its sanctions relating to the Iranian nuclear program. Now I mention this because Russia is perceived by Donald Trump's team as a useful and important intercessor and intermediary and advisor on its dealings with Iran.

This was perfectly clear nine days ago. Mr. Trump's personal emissarysst, Steve Witkoff, stopped off for half a day in St Petersburg on his way to negotiations with the Iranians in Oman. I believe that dealt with Iran and on what role Russia will play when the terms of the inspections, the verifications are clarified by the parties, that is to say, between Iran and the United States. The role of Russia is particularly important today. I have spoken in the past of how Iran is bracketed by two major world powers, China and Russia. And this is in BRICS, This is in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and so forth. China at the present time is in very difficult relations with the United States.

China is important in the background as a threat to the United States, not to do something stupid with respect to Iran, because China has many possibilities of inflicting great pain on the United States if Washington makes mistakes. In the case of Russia, military action on behalf of Iran is improbable and unnecessary. It's not incorporated into the terms of the cooperation agreement. But the closeness of the two countries, their political alignment on major international and regional questions is well known to Washington. And it is in the interests both of Iran and of Russia that that they will be going forward in parallel as relations with Washington realign for both countries

Press TV: Mr. Doctorow, a lot of people feel it is U.S. policies that have pushed Iran closer to Moscow and Beijing for that matter, not just for Iran, but for many other countries as well as of late. Or do you feel that for Iran in particular it's just a natural evolution given the geopolitics of the country, of the three countries involved here and their cultural and political similarities you just alluded to.

Doctorow: And geography. The logistical alignment of mutual interests of Iran and Russia are a major factor in the rapprochement. Both countries will experience greater prosperity and greater security as these important projects and logistics in the North-South Corridor are developed.

They were talking points in the past. They were almost stagnant for a couple of decades. But I think now in the new circumstances of closer relations between Iran and Russia, they will be developed and will give a big economic boost to add to the geopolitical importance of this relationship.


Good stuff. Always a pleasure sir. Stay safe out in Brussels today and every day afterwards. Gilbert Doctorow joining us, independent international affairs analyst, joining us out of Brussels. Stay safe.