Russia, Iran foreign ministers' talks postponed

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Talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, which were scheduled for January 17, were postponed to a later, undisclosed date, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Russian news agency Sputnik on Monday.

This comes after Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced that the talks between the two top diplomats would take place on January 17.

"By mutual agreement of the parties, the talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian previously scheduled for January 17 have been postponed to a later date," the ministry told Sputnik.

This comes as Iran is expected to receive multiple Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia as early as March, according to a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. 

In late December, some reports revealed that Russia will soon be providing Iran with a complete squadron of Su-35 fighters in the near future, marking a new era in Russian-Iranian cooperation as the West keeps trying to isolate the two nations through unilateral sanctions. The Commander of Iran's Army Air Force Hamid Vahedi had announced that Iran is looking at purchasing Russian Su-35 fighter jets.

Despite some Western assessments tending to downplay Iran's potential acquisition of the aircraft, believing that it would not drastically change the airpower balance in the Gulf, the purchase "manifests a grim calculus for the West," the report suggested.

In addition to the Su-35, there have been claims that Iran might be very close to purchasing an S-400 deal, which would decidedly alter the risk assessment of an Israeli occupation strike on Iran.

Ever since Iran gained complete autonomy following its 1979 revolution, the country has been the target of unjust and excruciating sanctions from the West.

Despite this, Iran managed to gain almost 100% military self-sufficiency in the production of drones.

Although Iran offered to help the EU with its energy needs, the bloc has instead aimed at sabotaging the country by sending spies and foreign agents and commissioning dissidents to disrupt the country's civil order. 

Additionally, this comes as the permanent representatives of EU countries earlier in the month agreed on the ninth package of sanctions against Russia. The EU has already imposed eight waves of unprecedented anti-Russia sanctions since the start of the Ukraine war in February, including targeting Russian key oil exports. 

After the adoption of several packages of sanctions against Moscow by the West, western sanctions backfired, having detrimental effects on the world's global markets, most notably gas and oil. European governments are now suffering the repercussions of their sanctions amid rising strikes and protests over the cost of living and pay.

Despite the isolation and marginalization, CIA Director William Burns pointed out in mid-December that the US was concerned about the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran and fears that it could eventually evolve into a full defense partnership.