Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded his first visit to Iran in eight years last week. Moscow and Tehran reaffirmed their joint stance over the Syrian crisis and cemented their bilateral cooperation in a number of arenas.
The main purpose of Putin's Iran trip was to draw Tehran over to its side in cracking down upon the Islamic State (IS). Last Tuesday, Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border. By strengthening Moscow-Tehran connections, Putin was attempting to take precautions against any potential negative effects the downing might exert on the Kremlin-led anti-terrorism coalition in the Middle East, in which Iran is included. Establishing a joint front in the region to fight against IS was one of the most urgent tasks of this visit.
The US-directed coalition has carried out anti-terrorism operations for about a year. Yet, the effects of the actions are far from perfect. In contrast, despite the short span of time, the Kremlin-led anti-terrorism coalition seems to have performed better than that of the White House.
Under this situation, besides Moscow-Tehran cooperation, the US and Russia should also work together more to crack down upon IS. A joint front is in urgent need.
Currently, the legitimacy of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a key factor influencing the US-Russia cooperation. While Moscow and Tehran are standing on Assad's side, Washington insists that any political settlement in Syria should include the removal of the Assad regime. The US has to make a choice whether to prioritize the task of combating IS over uprooting Assad, or the other way round. Given the increasing perniciousness of IS, fighting against terrorism should be the priority for the international community.
Given the common interests it shares with the US in anti-terrorism operations, Russia has already made clear its intentions to cooperate with the West in the Middle East. Whether the two sides will collaborate hinges on the attitude of the Western countries.
Judging from the current situation, it seems that the White House is adjusting its policies in the region. So far, the two sides have not collided with each other in the air strikes in Syria.
Some argue that by uniting Iran and Syria, Russia is winning itself a more significant status than the US in the Middle East. Admittedly, Washington is still playing an important role in the region. Yet, it is witnessing decreasing influence. After all, it is tough for the White House to maintain its dominant status in a geographically distant place.
In addition, the US and its allies have made strategic mistakes in fighting against IS in the region.
For instance, it was unwise for Turkey to shoot down the Russian warplane. Instead of targeting the warplane, Ankara could have given warnings or shot at other places to notify the Russian pilots. The poor performance of the US-led anti-terrorism coalition is to be blamed for Washington's decreasing clout.
Besides anti-terrorism efforts, a number of other factors have also contributed to Putin's visit. Close Russia-Iran ties have continued for a long time. Putin's visit reflects the continuity of their bilateral friendly relations. Russia and Iran are both natural gas exporters. The two shares a lot of common interests.
Geography is another important reason for friendly Moscow-Tehran relations. Situated on the northern and southern borders of the Caspian Sea, the two neighbors are complementary and the chances of direct conflict remain low.
Iran has been craving membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Community where Russia plays an important role. It is possible they will cooperate more in the future.
The author is director of the Eurasian Studies Center and a professor at the School of Government, Beijing Normal University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn