MOSCOW/TEHRAN – Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday the Strait of Hormuz has become a strategic asset for Iran with deterrence power “no less than a nuclear weapon,” speaking after a visit to Tehran for mourning ceremonies for Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Medvedev described Tehran as a “lively and vibrant” city, saying the Iranian capital left a “completely positive impression” despite recent U.S.-Israeli aggression.
“I saw Tehran as a lively and vibrant city,” Medvedev told journalists on his flight back to Moscow after attending mourning ceremonies. “Overall, the general situation in Tehran left a completely positive impression on me; the capital is alive and vibrant.”
Medvedev said the Strait of Hormuz has effectively become a strategic instrument for Iran, adding that Tehran also possesses a “backup weapon” in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that could disrupt shipping in the event of a broader regional war.
“I hope it does not come to that, but all countries seeking conflict in the region should remember this,” Medvedev said.
The senior Russian official, who traveled to Tehran as a special envoy of President Vladimir Putin, attended funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Khamenei, who was martyred in U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28. The aggression prompted Iran to stage retaliatory strikes against American and Israeli targets, forcing the U.S. to announce a unilateral ceasefire on April 7.
Medvedev met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the visit, with the Russian delegation also including Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev and Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko. The two sides discussed accelerating implementation of strategic agreements between Tehran and Moscow, particularly in economic, trade, energy and transit sectors.
Pezeshkian highlighted the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor as a key area for joint collaboration and called for closer cooperation through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Medvedev said he discussed with Pezeshkian the possibility of establishing a platform for countries under sanctions to coordinate efforts against what Moscow describes as “illegal” restrictive measures. He noted the initiative, originally proposed by Iran several years ago, could eventually take the form of an international agreement or organization bringing together sanctioned states.
“I think we can discuss the idea of creating some sort of treaty, or at least a platform, where states subject to sanctions could formulate positions on how to counter them, or perhaps even introduce counter-sanctions,” Medvedev said.
“This applies to Russia and Iran; China is now facing sanctions, and there are other countries against which the United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions.”
Medvedev sharply criticized recent U.S. military strikes on Iran as “completely unprovoked,” stating that the attacks were launched while negotiations between Tehran and Washington were underway and describing the move as evidence of “a breakdown in international legal norms”.
Commenting on the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, Medvedev said significant differences remain between the two sides and predicted that reaching a comprehensive agreement will be “extremely difficult,” particularly regarding sanctions relief and reconstruction funding.