>Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been shuttling back and forth on clandestine flights to meet senior Russian officials, The Times has learned, in backchannel efforts to gain Russian assistance on its nuclear programme and air defence capabilities.
>Vladimir Putin will host Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, in Moscow on Friday, when the two sides will sign a “comprehensive strategic partnership”. Judging by the name, the agreement will closely resemble an alliance signed between North Korea and Russia last year, committing the two nuclear-armed countries to defend the other in the event of an attack.
>Iran is also seeking the latest version of the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter as it attempts to upgrade the operational capabilities of its air force, Western intelligence sources said. Reports suggest they have already been purchased. Tehran also wants to reinstall its air defence systems, which were destroyed by Israel during the latest of round of attacks and counterattacks last year.
>Iran has also requested logistical help by using Russia’s extensive presence in the region to rearm the Shia Muslim militia Hezbollah, whose leadership and weapons arsenal have largely been taken out by Israel during the past few months.
>Iran is meeting officials from the so-called E3 group — the UK, Germany and France — in Geneva this week in the second round of talks to discuss Western concerns over the acceleration of Tehran’s nuclear programme. The sides first met in November and will hold two days of talks on Monday and Tuesday. Last month, the UK, Germany and France declared their “extreme concern” over Iran’s enrichment capacity.
>Should Iran seek to cross the nuclear threshold, it risks a pre-emptive strike by the US and Israel.
https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/iran-russia-nuclear-talks-deal-lfzbdh7z7