By Mark Trevelyan

(Reuters) -Belarus and Iran – two countries that have backed Russia’s war in Ukraine – plan to deepen bilateral ties across all areas including defence, their presidents said at talks in Minsk on Wednesday.

Belarusian state news agency Belta said presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Masoud Pezeshkian agreed to work on a strategic partnership treaty.

“In conditions of geopolitical turbulence, Minsk and Tehran are undertaking consistent and balanced steps to further develop cooperation, and are working hard to turn each new challenge into a new opportunity,” it quoted Lukashenko as saying.

“We are ready to discuss any issues, we have no closed topics,” Lukashenko said, adding that the two countries could partner across a range of areas including “military-technical coope

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