ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday amidst ongoing concerns about escalating violence in the Middle East and the deepening ties between Moscow and Tehran.
The two leaders convened on the sidelines of an international forum in Turkmenistan’s capital, where they discussed the current situation in the Middle East. This meeting occurs against the backdrop of Iran’s provision of weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, as well as heightened clashes between Israel and Iranian-backed militant groups.
Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow and Tehran signed a $1.7 billion deal for Iran to supply drones to Russia, with U.S. intelligence also alleging that Iran has transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow.
This week, Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency MI5, accused both nations of a “staggering” increase in assassination, sabotage, and other criminal attempts on UK soil. McCallum revealed that his agency and police have thwarted 20 “potentially lethal” plots linked to Iran since 2022 and warned that Iran may expand its targeting in the UK if tensions in the Middle East escalate further.
During their discussions, Putin remarked to Pezeshkian that Russia and Iran’s positions on many international matters often align closely. He extended an invitation for the Iranian president to visit Russia, which Pezeshkian accepted.
Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s “savage attacks” on Lebanon, stating, “These actions are beyond description.” The Israeli military has deployed ground troops in southern Lebanon and is conducting airstrikes against Hezbollah fighters supported by Iran.
At the forum’s opening, Putin expressed his desire to create a “new world order” with Moscow’s allies to counter Western influence, as reported by the Kremlin.
The conference is also attended by regional leaders, including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and heads of Central Asian nations such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Putin is expected to meet with Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, who took office in March 2022, succeeding his father, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who had led the gas-rich nation since 2006.
Under autocratic rule since its independence following the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, Turkmenistan has mostly remained isolated on the international stage.
Credit: ABC News
