Russia and Iran outline multi-year plan for finance, energy and transport cooperation
A classified Russian document for 2024-2026 details extensive joint projects with Iran, covering alternative payment systems, nuclear plant support, oil field development and new transport links.
A non-public Russian government paper titled "Plan for Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran for 2024-2026" sets out a coordinated agenda for deepening ties amid Western sanctions. The plan calls for expanding bilateral trade in rubles and rials, developing central-bank digital currencies and independent messaging systems for cross-border settlements. It confirms continued Russian participation in the Bushehr nuclear power plant and outlines Russian-backed projects in Iranian oil fields Shadegan, Kish and North Pars, with some financing marked confidential.
The document also envisions producing Russian aircraft parts in Iran and building a railway linking Russia to Iranian ports on the Persian Gulf, alongside a terminal in Astrakhan financed by Iranian investors. Several elements, such as the shift to national-currency settlements and approved aviation maintenance arrangements, have been publicly noted since 2025.
Why it matters
The plan shows how Russia and Iran are building parallel economic structures to bypass sanctions and strengthen their strategic partnership.
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