Forging a Multipolar Order: The Strategic Logic of Iran-Russia Alignment Under Ayatollah Khamenei

With a precise understanding of the region’s political geography and the international system, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei transformed the continuous challenges posed by external pressures into golden opportunities for creating sustainable coalitions, writes Mohammad Hossein Masoumzadeh.

In analysing and examining the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reviewing the approaches and decision-making legacy of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei across various diplomatic arenas assumes special analytical significance. During his leadership, Iran’s foreign policy witnessed fundamental transformations, transitioning from traditional paradigms to the formation of strategic alliances. In this context, structuring the foreign policy framework and elevating relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation is considered one of the most prominent and complex chapters of his diplomatic record.

With a profound historical understanding of the balance of power within the international system and a deep recognition of the hegemonic approaches of Western powers, he elevated Tehran-Moscow relations from the framework of a cautious neighbourhood to a synergistic and decisive strategic partnership in global equations. The Iranian Supreme Leader’s perspective on Russia was not a transient or merely tactical approach; rather, it stemmed from a macro-worldview in which preserving the independence and authority of sovereign states is viewed as the definitive mechanism to counter the unilateralism and expansionist policies of the United States.

Mutual Understanding of the Global Order and Aligning Iran’s Independence with Russia’s Authority

Ayatollah Khamenei’s intellectual foundation in engaging with Russia was predicated upon a rigorous historical and geopolitical analysis. By reviewing contemporary history, particularly the events surrounding the collapse of the Soviet Union, he extracted crucial analytical deductions for political elites. From his perspective, the Soviet collapse was not solely the result of internal inefficiencies. Instead, he saw it as the product of a long-term, calculated design by the US and the West, which relied on diplomatic promises to mislead the Soviet leadership of that era. Referring to the Gorbachev and Yeltsin eras, the Iranian Supreme Leader pointed out how over-reliance on Western assurances led to the structural disintegration of a superpower. Nevertheless, his view of Russia in the modern era, under the presidency of Vladimir Putin, was positive and rooted in mutual respect. He evaluated Mr. Putin as a strong, decisive figure in today’s world who has managed to preserve Russia’s independence against political pressures and the excessive demands of the United States. This mutual understanding propelled bilateral diplomacy beyond standard diplomatic protocols, tying it to closer interpersonal relations among high-ranking officials.

From his viewpoint, a nation’s internal resilience is the true anchor of its authority, and the overarching foreign policy image of the Russian nation in Iran is one characterised by the historical resistance it has demonstrated at various critical junctures. Accordingly, he formulated a strategic proposition in bilateral relations that became the foundational doctrine of Tehran-Moscow ties. In his meeting with the Russian President in October 2007, he explicitly stated: “Just as the existence of an independent Iran is in Russia’s interest, the existence of a powerful Russia is also in Iran’s interest.” This statement encapsulates his entire strategic outlook toward the northern neighbour. In this paradigm, the West and NATO are perceived as expansionist actors that fundamentally oppose any strong and independent Russia.

His forward-looking perspective was also evident during the Ukraine crisis. While Western media sought to portray Moscow as the primary culprit, the Iranian Supreme Leader, examining the root causes of the crisis and expressing regret over the suffering of ordinary people in the phenomenon of war, identified NATO’s expansionist agenda as the main catalyst for the tensions. Noting NATO’s propensity for continuous border expansion, he clarified that had this military alliance’s advance not been halted in Ukraine, Western powers would have eventually instigated the same conflict under the pretext of Crimean reunification. Essentially, through this lens, Ayatollah Khamenei comprehended Russia’s approach to defending its security borders, evaluating it in the context of countering the growing Western hegemony. This strategic alignment prevented the US from isolating independent states by creating systemic rifts.

Architecture of the New Economy: Bypassing Dollar Hegemony and Forging Sustainable Ties

Ayatollah Khamenei was always cognisant that political and security ties, regardless of their robustness, remain vulnerable to international sanctions and pressures without the establishment of deep economic interdependence. Thus, his perspective on relations with Russia was consistently accompanied by an emphasis on upgrading and expanding economic relations. Expressing the necessity of elevating the current level of bilateral economic ties at various junctures, he identified the diverse capacities of Iran and Russia as a favourable ground for securing mutual interests, constantly advocating for the operationalisation of strategic memorandums and contracts in the oil, gas, energy, transit, and aerospace sectors.

One of his most pivotal perspectives in the realm of international political economy was countering US financial dominance. He viewed the instrumental use of sanctions as a strong common denominator among Iran, Russia, and other independent nations to expand cooperation. With an analytical understanding of the nature of American monetary hegemony, the Supreme Leader assessed that Washington’s use of the dollar as leverage to exert pressure on other countries was ultimately detrimental to the US economy itself, as this practice will erode global trust in the currency. Based on this, he proposed a key historical strategy to the officials of both countries, stating in October 2017, “Regardless of negative propaganda aimed at weakening relations between countries, we can render American sanctions ineffective and isolate the US by utilising methods such as eliminating the dollar and substituting national currencies in bilateral or multilateral economic transactions.” He considered the gradual phasing-out of the dollar from global trade pathways to be both a logical and pragmatic necessity.

Furthermore, his perspective on developing joint infrastructure was rooted in long-term civilisational and developmental logic. The Supreme Leader’s special emphasis on utilising the transit axis from Chabahar Port to St. Petersburg (October 2017) and operationalising the Rasht-Astara railway is evaluated in the context of completing the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) (July 2022)—an artery that not only interconnects the economies of the two nations but also breaks the monopoly of traditional Western maritime routes over the global transit map. Additionally, the idea of forming a Gas Exporting Countries Forum (a “Gas OPEC”), considering that Iran and Russia hold half of the world’s gas reserves, was another of his strategic proposals that could play a highly influential role in securing the future of the global energy economy (Oct 2007).

He constantly reminded executive officials that Western powers are displeased with the expansion of Iran’s relations with Asian economic hubs like China, Russia, and India, and that they were attempting to restrict Iran’s foreign relations by pressuring its neighbours. However, his strategy against these pressures was not passivity; rather, his agenda was to adopt an independent, proactive, and authoritative approach based on facilitating commercial diplomacy with these powers (April 2025). In this approach, Iran is not presumed to be a passive or submissive state, but rather a system reliant on internal capabilities that can neutralise sanctions through geopolitical rationality and regional cooperation.

The practical outcome of Ayatollah Khamenei’s macro-strategic approach was institutionalised in the 2025 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Tehran and Moscow. Emphasising the transition from reactive policies to a binding, long-term framework, he played a central role in directing Iran’s diplomatic apparatus toward this 20-year treaty. By framing this comprehensive pact as a geopolitical necessity, the Iranian leadership effectively insulated the Tehran-Moscow axis from the vulnerabilities of transient political cycles. Reflecting his core strategic doctrines, the finalised text explicitly structures joint efforts to reject unipolar hegemony, counter unilateral coercive measures, and establish independent financial infrastructures. Ultimately, this agreement—mandating broad levels of defence, economic, and technological integration—serves as the legal codification of this vision, translating the concept of a just and stable multipolar world order into a concrete geopolitical reality.

Ultimately, it can be concluded that the current geopolitical standing of the Islamic Republic of Iran is largely influenced by the macro-approach, foresight, and strategic endurance of the Iranian leadership. With a precise understanding of the region’s political geography and the international system, Ayatollah Khamenei transformed the continuous challenges posed by external pressures into golden opportunities for creating sustainable coalitions. His view of the Russian Federation goes beyond that of a mere powerful neighbour; it is a view of a strategic partner in the process of shaping a new world order—a multipolar order in which the exclusive dominance, unilateralism, and bullying of the United States are fundamentally challenged. His significant legacy in establishing these solid relations is institutionalising the clear lines and pathways of cooperation between the two countries, ensuring that these ties do not falter with changes in governments and the rotation of politicians. Undoubtedly, the logic of sustainability and the preservation of national interests embedded within these strategic ties can serve as a guiding paradigm for the future of Iran’s political and economic diplomacy, paving the way for its independence and the development of international cooperation in the face of global challenges.