Belarus and Iran—both supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine—announced plans on Wednesday to deepen ties across defense and economic spheres. At a Minsk summit, Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian said they would draft a strategic partnership treaty, strengthen “military-technical cooperation,” and build joint efforts to blunt Western sanctions.

Strategic alignment with Moscow

Lukashenko, who has allowed Russian nuclear missiles and troops on Belarusian soil, said Minsk and Tehran were “undertaking consistent and balanced steps” to turn geopolitical turbulence into opportunity. He underlined that there were “no closed topics” between the two states.

Iran, which has supplied drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, has already signed a strategic cooperation treaty with President Vladimir Putin. While that deal did not include a mutual defense clause, it underscored Tehran’s role as a reliable partner for Moscow.

Focus on sanctions and economy

Pezeshkian told Lukashenko that Iran’s 40 years of experience resisting sanctions could help Belarus “neutralize” Western economic measures. He also called for cooperation in tourism, culture, and trade to match what he described as the high level of political trust between Minsk and Tehran.

The pledge marks a growing axis of states backing Moscow against the West. By linking their military-industrial and economic efforts, Belarus and Iran are positioning themselves more firmly within Russia’s geopolitical orbit, even as their economies remain constrained by isolation.