Moscow, Jan 17 (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian signed a broad cooperation pact on Friday as the countries deepened their partnership in the face of stinging Western sanctions.

Russian and Iranian officials say the "comprehensive strategic partnership treaty" covers all areas -- from trade and military cooperation to science, education and culture.

Pezeshkian's visit comes ahead of Monday's inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to broker peace in Ukraine and take a tougher stance on Iran, which is grappling with growing economic problems and other challenges, including military setbacks in its sphere of influence across the Middle East.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed any link with Trump's inauguration, saying the signing had been planned long ago.

Welcoming Pezeshkian as they sat down for talks, Putin said the new treaty will "give an additional impulse to practically all areas of our cooperation".

Pezeshkian, who met Putin for the third time since coming to power in July, said the documents form a "solid foundation for our forward movement".

"We do consider our relations with you as vital, sensitive and strategic, and we are on this path strongly," he said.

The Iranian president emphasised that countries in the region should resolve their own problems themselves, adding in an apparent reference to the U.S. that the presence of outside forces will only exacerbate tensions and destabilise the situation.

"They come from another side of the world to make chaos in the region. These ties will defuse their plot, definitely," he said.

Russia's ties with Iran have grown closer after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine and the West have accused Tehran of providing Moscow with hundreds of drones for use to attack Ukraine, which Moscow and Tehran have denied.

Last year, Iran joined the BRICS bloc of developing economies and Pezeshkian attended its summit, which was hosted by Russia in Kazan.

Russia and Iran, which had troubled relations in the past, developed cordial ties after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, with Moscow emerging as a key trade partner and supplier of weapons and technologies for Tehran, which has faced bruising international sanctions.

Russia built Iran's first nuclear plant that was launched in 2013 and is building two more nuclear reactors there.

Russia was part of the 2015 deal between Iran and six nuclear powers offering sanctions relief for Tehran in exchange for curbing its atomic programme, and the Kremlin offered political support to Iran when the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement during Trump's first term.

Russia and Iran also pooled their efforts to shore up Bashar Assad's government during Syria's civil war, but failed to prevent his downfall last month after a lightning offensive by the opposition. Assad and his family fled to Russia.

His ouster dealt another blow to Tehran's self-described "Axis of Resistance" across the region, which had already been pummelled by Israel's offensives against two militant groups backed by Iran -- Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel also attacked Iran directly on two occasions.

Tehran increasingly needs Moscow's assistance as it faces economic woes and stinging setbacks across its sphere of influence in the Middle East. The troubles could deepen after Trump returns to the White House with his policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran.

In particular, Iran wants sophisticated Russian weapons like long-range air defence systems and fighter jets to help fend off possible attacks by Israel. (AP) ARI