Moscow has sought to strengthen its alliances with other countries ostracised by the West, including Iran, which has been accused of supplying Moscow with armed drones for its offensive in Ukraine.
Tehran denies the allegations.
"I consider our meeting as another step towards strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and Iran," Shoigu said during a meeting with Iran's armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri.
"Today we have an opportunity to discuss in detail topical issues of bilateral military cooperation," he was quoted as saying by Russian agencies.
"Iran is Russia's strategic partner in the Middle East," he added.
Talks involved "development of defence diplomacy" and "management of common threats", according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA.
Shoigu's trip comes during a four-day visit to Moscow from China's foreign minister and after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un travelled by train to Russia's Far East for several days.
EU slams exclusions of Iran nuclear inspectors
Brussels (AFP) Sept 17, 2023 - The European Union on Sunday told Iran to reconsider its decision to withdraw accreditation from several inspectors from the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
The International Atomic Energy Agency had warned Saturday that the "disproportionate and unprecedented" move would seriously hamper its work.
Iranian media and a Western diplomat said the decision concerned eight inspectors, all from France and Germany.
Brussels, which acts as coordinator for the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers known as the JCPOA, said it was "highly concerned" by the development.
"Particularly worrying is the direct and severe impact of this decision on the agency's ability to conduct its verification activities, which includes the monitoring of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA]," a spokesman said.
"The EU urges Iran to reconsider its decision without delay."
Iran's foreign ministry said Saturday that the move was in retaliation for "political abuses" by the United States, France, Germany and Britain.
In 2015, major world powers reached the accord with Iran under which Tehran would curb its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions.
But that started to unravel in 2018 when Donald Trump, the US president at the time, withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions.
Tehran in turn stepped up its nuclear programme, while continuing to deny that it harbours ambitions of developing nuclear weapons capability.
Efforts to revive the deal have been fruitless so far.
Britain, France and Germany, European signatories to the deal, announced last week that they would not lift sanctions on Iran next month as originally foreseen.
Iran warns EU sanctions are 'illegal'
Tehran (AFP) Sept 15, 2023 -
Iran has warned the European Union that its decision to maintain sanctions on the Islamic republic beyond a deadline set in a landmark nuclear deal was "illegal".
Britain, France, and Germany said that "EU and UK sanctions will be maintained," according to a statement from the British foreign ministry released on Thursday.
The series of British, EU and US sanctions "on individuals and entities involved in Iran's missile, nuclear, and other weapons programmes" were supposed to be lifted on October 18, the ministry said.
The deal agreed with world powers in 2015 was aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
But the accord began unravelling in 2018 when then US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it and began reimposing sanctions and Iran retaliated by dropping some of its obligations under the agreement.
Iran's foreign ministry said it considers "the decision of the EU and three European countries as an illegal act with malicious intentions, and contrary to their obligations under the nuclear agreement".
"We warn the European parties against taking actions that will certainly complicate the management of their relations and have a negative impact on... negotiations for the lifting of sanctions," it said in a statement issued late Thursday.
Efforts to revive the deal have been fruitless so far with European-led talks on hold since 2022.
In its statement, the British foreign ministry said the decision to keep the sanctions in place had been based on "continued Iranian non-compliance with their... commitments and ongoing nuclear escalation".
Iran projectile wounds two after falling during military test
Tehran (AFP) Sept 18, 2023 -
An Iranian projectile that veered off course during a military test fell Monday in the north of the country, wounding two people, officials and local media said.
The incident took place when Iran's military was conducting tests for its drone and attack systems in a desert region before the projectile experienced a technical problem.
The projectile "disintegrated and its parts fell on the city of Gorgan", the provincial capital of the northern Golestan province, defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik said.
"Two people were wounded," ISNA news agency reported, quoting provincial official Ali Mohajer.
The type of projectile was not immediately clear, with some local media reporting it to be a drone while others said it was a missile.
Local media shared footage showing the cordoned off area where the debris had fallen, with some shops in the vicinity having sustained heavy damage.
In Gorgan, which has a population of about 350,000 people, residents said they heard a loud noise when parts of the debris hit one of the city's main streets.
Iran, which has for years been under crippling US and Western sanctions, has developed a vast domestic arms industry, with a large arsenal of missiles and drones.
Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
