Russian President Vladimir Putin has complete deference towards Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and has expressed his desire to be adopted by him, an Iranian cleric says.

Ayatollah Rahim Tavvakol (71), a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a constitutional body tasked with selecting the next Supreme Leader, said Putin speaks forcefully with the world, but when visits Khamenei “He sits at the edge of the chair and puts his hands on his knees. He speaks politely and with deference with the Imam.” Tavvakol went on to say that Putin, “who is a world politician, tells the Leader that he wants to be accepted as his son.”

In March, elections will take place for the parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Political insiders are scrambling to be allowed to run in these elections and get elected, a process controlled by Khamenei’s hardliner supporters.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a close ally of Russia, but many see Khamenei’s regime as towing Moscow’s line and dependent on Russia and China amid its international isolation.

Khamenei pursues an anti-West foreign policy and emphasizes relations with non-Western countries opposed to US and European influence.

Ayatollah Tavvakol also reiterated that Khamenei regards the United States as the main enemy and emphasized that there are “nine Zionist lobbies in America.”