Talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the Palace of Independence in Minsk on 20 August.

A formal welcoming ceremony, featuring a guard of honor, was held in the inner courtyard of the Palace of Independence. The national anthems of both countries were played, after which Aleksandr Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian proceeded to the Hall of Ceremonies to pose for a joint photo.

After that the one-on-one talks started.

The head of state warmly welcomed the distinguished guest, noting that his visit to Belarus was initially planned for June 2025. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, it was slightly postponed. Nevertheless, it has not become any less significant,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “You have been and remain our friends. We are committed to fulfilling all the obligations we have undertaken with regard to Iran. You have come to your friends, and you should feel at home here. If there is any shortfall in meeting the terms we agreed upon, I believe we will discuss these matters today in a frank and friendly conversation.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko also mentioned his visits to Tehran, which he said were filled with warmth and hospitality, and also his meetings with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to whom the President asked to convey his warmest and most friendly wishes.

Returning to the agenda of the talks, the head of state stressed: “We are ready to discuss any questions; no topics are off limits for us. We are ready to cooperate with you [across all areas], from food supplies to your country to military-technical cooperation. I would like to reiterate that there are no secrets here. We are not building friendship against anyone. Everything we do is for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries.

Addressing the Belarusian head of state, the Iranian President said he was happy to be in Minsk to discuss matters of Belarusian-Iranian relations. “We have common positions and views on issues of global importance,” Masoud Pezeshkian said.

The Iranian President also drew attention to the agreements reached within organizations such as the Eurasian Economic Union, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In his opinion, these structures enable Iran and Belarus to develop not only multilateral but also bilateral relations.

“Of course, our common views should be realized in economy and culture, in the development of tourism between our countries and also, as you noted, in the development of military-technical cooperation,” Masoud Pezeshkian stated.

He recalled that the West has been imposing various restrictive measures against Iran for over 40 years. Belarus has also been subject to Western sanctions for a long time. The Iranian President believes that such a unilateral destructive approach by the United States and its allies around the world is unacceptable.

“We, both our country and yours, want to remain independent. And within the framework of independent decisions, we can develop our friendship and cooperation,” Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized. “We understand that the way to neutralize these illegal sanctions is through the development of our relations and the implementation of our agreements.”

During the broad-format negotiations Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the Iran President’s visit marks a new stage in the advancement of the bilateral relations, in enhancing the partnership of the two countries through reliance on mutual respect and trust.

“In conditions of geopolitical turbulence Minsk and Tehran make consistent and balanced steps on further advancement of cooperation, are doing meticulous work in order to turn every new challenge into a new opportunity,” he stressed.

Continuing the line of thought, Aleksandr Lukashenko quoted the great Persian philosopher and poet Omar Khayyam: “The one seeking pearls has to dive deep”. “As we overcome obstacles, we temper our will, develop and build strong and independent states,” the Belarus President stressed.

He recalled that the agreement to organize a visit of the Iranian President to Minsk was made when the two leaders met in the Russian city of Kazan on the sidelines of a summit of BRICS heads of state in autumn 2024. This summit was remarkable for Belarus because the country officially became a partner of this international association. Seizing the occasion, Aleksandr Lukashenko once again expressed gratitude to Iranian friends for assisting Belarus with getting this status. The head of state mentioned the intention to continue traditions of constructive partnership and mutual support both on the BRICS platform and as part of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations Organization.

“I am confident that an increase in joint efforts within the framework of international organizations is capable of having a positive effect on the expansion of economic ties. An important area of work is to improve transport interconnectivity and to develop the North-South corridor by leveraging resources of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The Belarus President also hailed the coming into force of a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran. “I am convinced it will give a powerful impulse to trade and economic cooperation between our countries, will enable additional opportunities for expanding the product choice and increasing the volume of mutual trade,” he stressed.

In his words, regular sessions of the Belarusian-Iranian mixed commission on economic cooperation have a positive effect, too. The previous session took place in Minsk in January 2025.

Characterizing the cooperation between the two countries in various areas, the Belarusian head of state emphasized: “Let us be frank, we are just confidently moving forward, whereas in the current situation we need not to walk but to run. Everything is in place for a large-scale leap. And you, Mr. President, have put it very correctly, we have more than enough resources for dynamic growth.”

Over the past five years, the trade between the two countries has increased fivefold. “Trade is growing at a good rate, but the total volume should be higher. That said, our trade has grown by a third since the start of the year amid challenging conditions,” the President noted. 

In Iran, there is demand for Belarusian woodworking products, chemical industry goods, and potash fertilizers. Belarusians have come to appreciate not only Iranian fruits and nuts but also high-tech products, particularly in the healthcare sector.

“Belarus is ready to launch joint industrial projects to produce quarry machinery, tractors, and other types of agricultural equipment. We propose establishing joint production facilities and ventures (given conducive conditions) to localize our manufacturing in Iran. We are counting on the development of cooperation in investment, banking and finance, transportation, science and technology, and other important areas such as education, healthcare, and sports,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.

Separately, the head of state spoke about cooperation in the humanitarian field. This topic is important because cultural exchanges help people better understand each other’s traditions and history, which fosters greater understanding and, in the long term, helps build strong friendships. “Here we have achieved fairly good progress,” the President said. “The necessary conditions have been created to facilitate communication among cultural figures. We are planning to hold the Days of Belarusian Culture in Iran.”

Furthermore, the President pointed to thriving interregional contacts and reaffirmed Belarus’ commitment to strengthening current partnerships and forging new ones across a wider area.

The President concluded: “Our cooperation is the foundation for a strategic partnership and a contribution to stability in this turbulent world. Through joint efforts, Belarus and Iran will be able to successfully respond to modern challenges, open new horizons, and build a prosperous future for our nations.”

“Iran and Belarus support each other on the international stage, which is highly valuable and important. We cooperate on the basis of mutual trust and mutual respect. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with the Republic of Belarus to neutralize illegal Western sanctions,” Masoud Pezeshkian assured Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The Iranian President believes that the level of economic relations does not yet correspond to the level of trust between Minsk and Tehran: “We must reach a level where we can implement all our agreements.”

Masoud Pezeshkian also congratulated Aleksandr Lukashenko on Belarus obtaining the status of a BRICS partner country. In this regard, he recalled his meeting with his Belarusian counterpart on the sidelines of the organization's summit in Kazan in the autumn of 2024. It was there that the Presidents of Belarus and Iran agreed to hold a meeting.

“I would like to thank you and your colleagues for the serious and firm positions you took during the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iranian soil. They attacked our peaceful nuclear facilities. Your speech at the EAEU summit was very substantive," Masoud Pezeshkian said addressing Aleksandr Lukashenko. “You noted the bitter Chernobyl experience and spoke about the need to prevent the events to develop in that direction and condemned the attacks on Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities.”

The Iranian President stated that these attacks were carried out in violation of all international norms and standards. ‘In essence, they [the United States] trampled on international law and all universally recognized norms. The Islamic Republic of Iran has never started a war against anyone. But when we become the target of attacks, we must respond accordingly," he emphasized.

Masoud Pezeshkian is convinced that these attacks were directed not only against Iran but against all independent countries of the world: "We understand that the collective West wants to dominate the entire region.”

At the meeting with journalists Aleksandr Lukashenko described the talks with Masoud Pezeshkian as very substantive and the atmosphere of the meeting as warm and constructive. “It could not have been otherwise. A foundation of sincere friendship and mutual respect has underpinned over three decades of fruitful cooperation between our sovereign states,” the head of state noted.

According to him, the parties achieved good results that will enable positive shifts in bilateral interaction. “A good outcome of these positive shifts will be if we, in the near future, as agreed with the President, prepare and sign a treaty on strategic cooperation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The President of Belarus assured that no topics are off-limits for Minsk and Tehran: “In building our dialogue, we always proceed from the principle of mutual trust and take each other’s interests into account.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that Belarus views Iran as an important political and economic partner not only in the Asian region but also on the international stage as a whole. “In recent years, through our joint efforts, we have managed to achieve serious progress: we are rapidly developing interaction in various areas that are a priority for both countries,” he said.

The Belarusian leader noted that the meeting discussed important aspects of bilateral relations. The Presidents of Belarus and Iran paid special attention to cooperation in trade, manufacturing, investment, as well as joint initiatives in science, technology, and education.

“Belarus is committed to executing its comprehensive cooperation roadmap with Iran designed to run through 2026. We have agreed with the President, on the initiative of our Ministries of Foreign Affairs, that we will once again review the main provisions of our roadmap. We will keep what is relevant and necessary for us and will certainly implement it. This is our main practical document and instrument. The roadmap serves to expand partnership between our countries in key areas. Today we have signed a joint statement that updates our plans and sets priorities for achieving the goals outlined in them.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that Belarus and Iran, being responsible participants of international cooperation, share common values and principles of interaction between sovereign states. “We strive to build a multipolar world where each country independently determines its development path without external interference,” he stated.

“Belarus considers the illegal restrictive measures imposed against Minsk and Tehran by the collective West to be economic terrorism,” the head of state said. “Our nations are successfully countering this aggressive and hypocritical sanctions war.”

The Belarusian President noted that Belarus and Iran are bolstering this work within the UN, SCO, BRICS and other organizations that are currently shaping a new, fair and constructive agenda for international cooperation.

Aleksandr Lukashenko added that Belarus welcomes Iran's involvement in trade and economic processes across the Eurasian Economic Union space. The launch of the full-fledged free trade agreement between the EAEU and Iran expands the geography of trade ties and opens up new markets for the countries. The Belarusian President is confident that this is a significant contribution to the foundation of long-term strategic partnership between Iran and the EAEU, which will strengthen the economic security of all its participants.

“Iran is persuading us to make a more active use of the logistics route through Russia and Iran. Through Russia, Armenia, Iran and to the Persian Gulf. They are persuading us! But this is primarily in our own interest,” the head of state said.

Continuing the conversation, he noted that he could not overlook the extremely tense situation following a new cycle of military escalation between Israel and Iran, which led to the direct involvement of the United States in the conflict.

“The military confrontation poses a serious threat to regional and international stability and security, especially in light of the strikes on Iran's infrastructure, including its nuclear facilities, which are under IAEA control,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. “We support Iran's legitimate right to the development of peaceful nuclear energy. I am convinced that achieving lasting peace requires refraining from any actions that could provoke a new escalation. Wisdom and foresight must prevail over emotions and prejudices.”

According to the President of Iran, his country is interested in the development of comprehensive relations with Belarus. “We have reached many good agreements and also discussed regional and international issues. We held consultations. We hold similar views and share a common approach to many matters. I would like to affirm that the Islamic Republic of Iran sees no topics as off-limits in the development of relations with the Republic of Belarus and is keen on advancing comprehensive relations with Belarus,” Masoud Pezeshkian stated.

The Iranian President is confident that joint efforts will achieve a strong trade between the two countries. He also highlighted humanitarian cooperation which has the potential to be even more fruitful. "A number of documents were signed during this visit, and they will all be implemented,” Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized.

The President of Iran also addressed cooperation with Belarus in the international arena: "We will continue to collaborate within the frameworks of BRICS and the SCO, and we will we will press forward towards a multipolar world.”

As a result of narrow-format and broad-format negotiations in the Palace of Independence Belarus and Iran have signed a package of documents on various avenues of cooperation.

A joint statement of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian on more profound advancement of relations between the Republic of Belarus and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been signed.

The Belarusian leader pointed out that negotiations between industry-specific delegations of Belarus and Iran had demonstrated mutual interest of the parties in continuing the implementation of sketched-out joint projects. “Belarus-Iran cooperation in humanitarian affairs has a significant potential for developing cultural ties, for sharing knowledge and experience, which contributes to deeper mutual understanding and friendship between our nations,” the head of state is confident.

The Belarus President stated that it had been decided to step up interaction in science and technology and hold the eighth session of the Belarusian-Iranian joint commission on cooperation in higher education, science, and technology in Minsk this year.

Aleksandr Lukashenko assured Masoud Pezeshkian that the Belarusian side will do all it can for the sake of implementing the agreements that have been reached at all levels and in all fields as soon as possible. “I am convinced that the documents that have been signed today would contribute to a significant expansion of partnership between our friendly countries,” the head of state added.