| Summary/Abstract |
Iran and Russia are cooperating on the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant as well as others. Iran is a major importer of Russian arms, including the S‐300 missile system. Efforts to keep Bashar al‐Assad in power in Syria have led to unprecedented military and intelligence cooperation between the two countries. They were also recently able to reach an agreement on rights to the Caspian Sea after many years of strife. Moreover, trade between the two has increased in the wake of Western sanctions. Russia has become disillusioned about better relations with the West following unsuccessful attempts to improve them during the tenure of Dmitry Medvedev. Iran is coming to a similar realization with the collapse of the nuclear deal (JCPOA). The two countries also share the goal of limiting U.S. global influence.
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