Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Russia on Thursday for talks with Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said, as the two countries strengthen economic and military ties in the face of Western sanctions.

“I can confirm. There will be Russian-Iranian negotiations on December 7,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday when asked about media reports of Raisi’s impending visit.

Putin visited Iran in July last year and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov traveled to Tehran in October for talks with regional counterparts.

Western countries have accused Tehran of supporting Russia’s offensive in Ukraine by providing it with large quantities of drones and other weaponry.

Iran’s official news agency Irna said Raisi would be traveling to Moscow following an invitation from Putin.

“Bilateral issues, including economic interactions, as well as discussions about regional and international issues, especially the situation in Gaza, will be high on the agenda of the one-day trip,” it reported.

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