Iranian Minister Announces Agreement on Development of Iranian Air Force with Russia

Tehran and Moscow are collaborating on the development of the Iranian air force, with relevant agreements already reached between the two countries. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Khatami announced this on October 19, as reported by Armenpress.

"We have important agreements with Russia for the development of the (Iranian) air force," ISNA agency cited his statements.

The minister added that after the lifting of the military embargo on Tehran, Iran has entered a new phase of military cooperation agreements with China and Russia. He stated that "Iran does not want an arms race under any circumstances, which would turn the region into a powder keg."

"We are ready to sign military agreements with the Persian Gulf countries to establish regional stability," he said.

The deadline for the embargo on the supply of conventional weapons to Iran and their export has ended on October 18. This date coincided with the expiration of the timeline for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regarding the settlement of the situation surrounding Iran's nuclear program and the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which established the corresponding limits.

The United States has recently opposed the lifting of the military embargo on Iran. On September 21, Washington imposed its own sanctions on Tehran regarding arms sales. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on restrictive measures against those who would participate in supplying Iran with "nuclear technologies, ballistic missile development technologies, and conventional weapons," TASS reported.