Putin and Khamenei try to pull together on Syria, energy and nuclear deal

“We are managing to coordinate our positions on the Syrian issue,” President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday after talking to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. He praised their cooperation as “very productive,” Khamenei said the two powers must step up cooperation “to isolate the United States and help stabilize the Middle East.”
DEBKAfile: The language they used – “managing to coordinate” by Putin, “step up cooperation” by Khamenei points to differences between the Russian and Iranian leaders on the Syrian issue.
The Russian leader came out in support of Tehran on another issue: “We oppose any unilateral change in the multilateral nuclear deal,” he said, in response to President Donald Trump’s refusal to certify Iranian compliance. Pushing Moscow’s diplomatic initiative for Syria, Putin has scheduled a congress of its rival Syrian parties for Nov. 18 at the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

During his visit, Russian oil producer Rosneft and the National Irfanian Oil Company agreed on an outline deal worth up to $30bn.