The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)

ECFR’s recent policy brief “Alone together: How the war in Ukraine shapes the Russian-Iranian relationship” by Ellie Geranmayeh and Nicole Grajewski explores the unprecedented level of cooperation between Moscow and Tehran that has emerged since the 2022 war in Ukraine, and unpacks the new security challenges this poses to the West. Their deepening military partnership risks prolonging the conflict in Ukraine, while Russia may be altering the balance of power in the Middle East by providing new military assistance to Iran, supporting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, and stoking escalation in Syria. Moscow and Tehran have also ramped up joint attempts to weaken the West by bypassing sanctions and attracting other countries to their vision of de-dollarisation and a multipolar world order. 

During the virtual launch event, the participants unpack the key findings of the paper and discuss how policymakers should be thinking about the evolution of the Iran-Russia relationship.

Guests: 
Abdolrasool Divsallar, Visiting Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Graduate School of Economics and International Relations (AZERI)

Ellie Geranmayeh, Deputy Director, MENA Programme, ECFR

Nicole Grajewski, Visiting Fellow, ECFR

Henry Rome, Senior Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Chaired by:
Julien Barnes-Dacey, Director, MENA Programme, ECFR

The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) is an award-winning international think-tank that aims to conduct cutting-edge independent research on European foreign and security policy and to provide a safe meeting space for decision-makers, activists and influencers to share ideas. We build coalitions for change at the European level and promote informed debate about Europe’s role in the world.