
On January 17, 2025, IRINN TV (Iran) aired footage from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's recent meeting in Moscow with Russian businessmen. Pezeshkian said that the presence of Iranian cabinet members in Russia is testament of the two countries' desire to work together. He criticized America for sanctioning Russia, Iran, and China and for pursuing "unilateral actions" worldwide, commenting that it is "unacceptable" for a superpower to exercise so much control over other countries. He said that with proper cooperation between these countries, the U.S. itself can be hit with sanctions, and he said that Iran's and Russia's mutual enterprises will be "win-win," adding: "The enemies that wish to bring turmoil upon this region will despair."
President Masoud Pezeshkian: "The presence of our cabinet ministers here is a testament to our wish to cooperate and work together to remove the obstacles in our path. In our government, we will follow up every month on the issues that are related to this agreement. We are determined to... This is our only course of action. We have no other option.
"America is sanctioning both Russia and our country. It is pursuing unilateral actions worldwide. It is unacceptable for a superpower to control other countries and to rule over them any way it desires. [The U.S.] has decided to place sanctions on countries like the Russian Federation, Iran, and other countries – even China.
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"At the same time, if these countries cooperate, they can hit the U.S. with sanctions…If we open our markets to one another, we can do this. The markets of these countries are much bigger and accessible than the [Western] markets.
"Our mutual enterprises will be win-win enterprises. Both sides will emerge as winners. Also, the enemies that wish to bring turmoil upon this region will despair."