THE leaders of Belarus and Iran have signed new agreements to boost bilateral ties in key areas including defence.

Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian signed a package of 13 documents in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Wednesday.

Both governments have been placed under heavy sanctions, limiting potential trading partners. Mr Pezeshkian said Iran would help Belarus “neutralise” such measures, citing Tehran’s decades of experience in circumventing Western economic restrictions.

Mr Lukashenko told Mr Pezeshkian that Belarus was “ready to co-operate with you on all issues, from providing your country with food to military-technical co-operation,” calling the Iranian president a “friend.”

The two parties did not specify how the countries intend to work together in the defence sector. Other areas covered by the agreement include industry and tourism, plus joint initiatives in science, technology and education.

The two presidents also said their countries would start work on a strategic partnership treaty.

Mr Pezeshkian’s visit to Minsk had been postponed several times due to Israel’s unprovoked attack on Iran in June and US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the same month. 

Mr Lukashenko called the strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure “a serious threat to regional and international stability and security.”

“We support Iran’s legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy,” he said.