Russia and Iran have been working to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation across finance, energy, nuclear power, aviation and transportation, according to a nonpublic Russian government document obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The 44-page document, titled the “Plan for Cooperation Between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran for 2024-2026” was approved by Russia in September 2024 and outlines projects and responsibilities for Russian ministries, agencies and state companies through the end of 2026.
Alternative Financial Channels
- One of the major areas covered by the roadmap is financial cooperation.
- The document calls for Russia and Iran to increase the use of their national currencies in bilateral trade, expand correspondent banking arrangements and develop independent systems for transmitting financial information.
- It also proposes exploring the use of central bank digital currencies for cross border settlements.
- According to the document, the share of bilateral trade conducted in national currencies was targeted to rise from 68% in 2024 to 71% by 2026. The roadmap also calls for cooperation through BRICS and other international institutions to counter what Moscow describes as “unilateral restrictive measures.”
- The document itself does not use the phrase “sanctions evasion.” However, a U.S. official cited by Fox News said Washington views efforts to create alternative financial channels by sanctioned countries as potential mechanisms for avoiding Western financial restrictions.
- The development comes amid broader U.S. pressure on financial institutions involved in Russia-Iran trade. On September 14, the United States imposed additional sanctions on Russia’s VTB Bank, accusing it of helping Iran develop financial channels and facilitate trade.
Nuclear Cooperation
- Nuclear energy is another important part of the Russia-Iran relationship.
- The roadmap assigns Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom continued responsibilities at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, including fuel and maintenance support for Unit 1 and work associated with Units 2 and 3.
- Fox News reported that some of this cooperation predates the 2024 roadmap. Rosatom also said on September 2, 2026, that Russian specialists had begun returning to Bushehr, with Unit 1 preparing for scheduled maintenance and fuel replacement.
- The roadmap therefore appears to incorporate existing nuclear cooperation into a broader framework for Russian-Iranian relations rather than representing the beginning of the nuclear partnership.
Energy Projects
- The document also identifies several Iranian oil and gas projects where Russia sought a role.
- These include the Shadegan, Kish and North Pars fields. Russian authorities and companies were assigned responsibilities related to advancing these projects, although some financing details in the document are marked confidential.
- Fox News reported that at least some of the energy cooperation subsequently moved forward. Russian state-owned ZN-Vostok was reported in February 2026 to be developing Iran’s Shadegan oil field.
Aviation and Industrial Cooperation
- The roadmap goes beyond energy and finance.
- It includes plans for Iranian companies to potentially manufacture or repair components for Russian aircraft. Russian authorities were tasked with identifying aircraft parts that could be produced or serviced in Iran and assessing Iranian companies capable of carrying out the work.
- However, Fox News said it could not independently verify that this more ambitious aviation provision was implemented.
Transport Links to the Persian Gulf
- Russia and Iran also outlined plans to strengthen transportation connections.
- The roadmap includes cooperation around railway infrastructure and the International North-South Transport Corridor, which is intended to improve trade links between Russia, Iran and markets farther south.
- Russia and Iran formally began engineering surveys for the Rasht Astara railway in May 2025. The proposed connection is viewed as an important missing section of the wider transport corridor.
- The roadmap also discusses Iranian investment in port and logistics infrastructure in Russia’s Astrakhan region.
Broader Strategic Partnership
- The document also covers cooperation in areas including media, technology, telecommunications and information security.
- Analysts cited by Fox News said the significance of the roadmap lies not necessarily in any single project, but in the effort to create a broader and more institutionalized Russia-Iran relationship involving financial systems, energy, transportation, nuclear cooperation and industrial activity.
- At the same time, the document predates the current U.S.-Iran war by more than a year. Therefore, its existence does not by itself establish how every project has been affected by the current conflict or which initiatives remain active in 2026.
- The developments nevertheless show that Moscow and Tehran have been working for several years to strengthen economic and strategic ties while both face significant pressure from Western sanctions.
Business Galaxy Fact Check: The Russian document confirms plans and areas of intended cooperation, but individual projects should be treated separately because not every proposal in the roadmap has been independently confirmed as completed.
