Putin Vows to Help End Middle East War in Talks With Pezeshkian
“We are ready to do everything that is in our power to contribute to the settlement of this situation,” Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday pledged to do everything within Moscow’s power to help end the Middle East war during talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Russian media reported.
The two leaders met in Turkmenistan ahead of a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), scheduled to begin on Friday in the Caspian Sea resort of Avaza.
“We are ready to do everything that is in our power to contribute to the settlement of this situation,” Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.
He added that Iran had made “real efforts to end the war” since US-Israeli attacks began on February 28.
Putin also highlighted what he described as the “positive evolution” of relations between Moscow and Tehran, which have strengthened their diplomatic and military cooperation in recent years.
Russia and Iran have deepened ties since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with both countries facing extensive Western sanctions. Ukraine and Western governments have accused Tehran of supplying Russia with Shahed drones and short-range missiles used in attacks on Ukrainian targets.
Russia, meanwhile, has been accused of providing Iran with intelligence data to support attacks on US targets in the Middle East.
Thursday’s meeting followed talks between Putin and Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan last month.
In a phone call on Wednesday, Putin also told Pezeshkian that Moscow was prepared to help mediate in the Middle East war, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
The latest diplomatic contacts come as Russia and Iran continue to coordinate amid the regional conflict and broader geopolitical tensions.