Iran, Belarus share common threats, interests: Iran Army chief

Iran and Belarus face shared threats and interests under oppressive sanctions imposed by the West, not least the United States, the Iranian Army chief says.

Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi was meeting with Commander of the Belarusian Air Force Major General Andrey Lukyanovich at the General Staff Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces in Tehran on Wednesday.

“Belarus holds a strategic position as a strong barrier against NATO,” the Iranian commander said. “We, along with regional countries, oppose the expansion of NATO.”

General Mousavi also expressed gratitude for Belarus's principled stance on the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh by the Israeli regime.

Haniyeh was assassinated on July 31 at his residence in Tehran. He had been in the city for the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The Iranian army chief pointed to the sanctions imposed on the country since the 1979 victory of the Islamic Revolution.

"We have tried to turn this threat into an opportunity, ensuring that the defense of our country is not dependent on external powers."

He said Belarus faces a similar situation, commending Minsk for finding its own way to counter NATO's influence and US unilateralism.

The Iranian Army chief also highlighted the strong political, military, and defense relations between Iran and Belarus. He cited the March 2023 visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to Tehran and his meeting with the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi as evidence of the deepening ties between the two countries.

The Belarusian commander echoed the desire to expand and deepen military relations, expressing interest in sharing valuable experiences with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Belarusian commander invited General Mousavi to visit Minsk to observe its capabilities firsthand.

Air Force commanders of Iran, Belarus discuss military cooperation

General Andrey Lukyanovich also met with his Iranian counterpart, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi, to discuss regional security and military cooperation.

During the meeting, General Vahedi blamed the United States and the Israeli regime for being the root cause of "calamities" in the region and the world.

He described the Zionist regime as the "root of malice" in the region. "We will not see any peace until its (malice) root [the Zionist regime] is eradicated."

General Vahedi also said the "child-killing regime is close to its end."

"History has shown that anyone who rules with oppression will not remain in power."

In his remarks, the Iranian general emphasized the importance of maintaining defense readiness and developing military equipment. "We have no other choice to defend our country and territorial integrity except keeping defense readiness and developing military equipment."

The Iranian commander said Tehran was ready to expand mutual defense and military relations, offering to share Iran's expertise in producing military equipment with its allies.

The Belarusian commander, in response, appreciated the invitation from his Iranian counterpart and placed a premium on expanding defense and military relations between the two nations.

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