Increased cybersecurity cooperation forged by Russia, Iran

Most sanctioned nations Russia and Iran have entered a new deal strengthening their security, technology, and military partnerships, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Aside from bolstering their collaboration in combating illicit information and communication technology usage, Russia and Iran have also agreed to advance digital space regulations for international tech firms and share know-how on managing the internet, which was declared by human rights nonprofit Freedom House to be "not free" in both countries amid intense disinformation operations, surveillance, and censorship. Such a deal was regarded by the think-tank Carnegie Endowment to only formalize both nations' 2021 agreement that tackled cybersecurity and cybercrime prevention collaboration. Russia — which was previously noted by Iran's National Security Commission to have been beneficial to the country's cybersecurity — had already forged similar deals deepening its IT and digital development ties with China and North Korea.