A strategic cooperation agreement that Russia and Iran are set to sign will not include a mutual defense clause, unlike agreements Moscow has signed with Pyongyang and Minsk, Russia's news agency cited Iran's envoy as saying on Thursday.

"The nature of this agreement is different. They (Belarus and North Korea) established partnership relations (with Moscow) in a number of areas that we did not particularly touch upon. Our country's independence and security, as well as self-reliance, are extremely important. We are not interested in joining any bloc," Kazem Jalali, Iran's ambassador to Moscow, was cited as saying by TASS.

Jalali was also quoted as saying that Iran would ensure its own security.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are scheduled to hold talks in Russia on January 17, after which they will sign the long-awaited comprehensive strategic partnership pact, the Kremlin announced on Monday.

Tehran and Moscow originally signed a long-term agreement in March 2001 which was initially set for a ten-year term but was extended twice, each time for five years. Despite prior discussions, similar promises to finalize a renewed treaty have remained unfulfilled.

According to Iran’s ambassador to Russia, the two countries agreed in 2021 to extend the treaty for an additional five years, pushing its expiration to 2026.

In 2023, reports emerged suggesting potential challenges in drafting a new agreement with Russia, though specific details about its content have not been publicly disclosed.