The agreement will stop short of a military alliance, but it is expected to formalize an increasingly close relationship between Moscow and Tehran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a broad cooperation pact Friday as their countries deepened their partnership in the face of stinging Western sanctions.

By Vladimir Soldatkin and Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian held talks in Moscow on Friday ahead of the signing of a strategic partnership treaty involving closer defence cooperation that is likely to worry the West.

The presidents of Russia and Iran have held talks in the Kremlin on Friday before the signing of a broad cooperation pact between the two countries