President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko's visit to Tehran on 13 March, during which a number of agreements on expanding bilateral cooperation were signed, is part of russia's efforts to support Iran under sanctions pressure.
This was stated by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in a report on 13 March.
"Lukashenko has frequently acted as a Kremlin vassal in recent trips to foreign countries, and his visit to Tehran is likely a component of the Kremlin’s wider effort to secure continued Iranian support in the face of international sanctions," the report said.
It was noted that Iranian state media, in particular, had announced on 11 March that Iran had finalised a deal to buy Su-35 combat aircraft from russia, indicating that military, political, and economic agreements between Tehran and moscow had been continuing to prove mutually beneficial for both parties.
"The kremlin will likely continue to leverage Lukashenko’s influence to deepen cooperation with Tehran," analysts said.