Iran and Belarus want to strengthen relations between the two countries. They shared a "common strategic vision," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday after meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexandr Lukashenko in Tehran. 30 years after the start of bilateral relations, both countries have the will to "strengthen cooperation".

Lukashenko, who arrived in Iran on Sunday evening for a two-day visit, said he had observed "with great respect" the perseverance" with which the Iranian people "resist external pressure, attempts to impose the will of others on them." He sees "that, despite everything, you are developing modern technologies and nuclear energy," Lukashenko said. "We can be very useful to each other if we really focus our efforts."

Ally of Putin

Both politicians did not address Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. Lukashenko is a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tehran also maintains close relations with Moscow, but claims to be neutral in the Ukraine war.

The US had recently expressed concern about the "dangerous" escalation of military cooperation between Russia and Iran. Washington accuses the Islamic Republic of supplying drones to Russia. Iran rejects accusations that it supplied drones to Russia specifically for use in Ukraine.

Lukashenko recently visited China. He supported Beijing's proposals for a settlement of the Ukraine war. Although Belarus has not sent its own soldiers to Ukraine, it serves as a launching pad for Russian attacks on the neighboring country.