Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met for the first time in Turkmenistan’s capital of Ashgabat to discuss regional and international issues. According to a statement from the Kremlin Palace, the meeting began with the participation of the delegations of Putin and Raisi and continued with a one-on-one conversation. Speaking at the press conference of the meeting, Putin mentioned that the relationship between Russia and Iran has been improving, with bilateral trade volume increasing this year. He emphasized that their assessments of global events often align and even overlap. Addressing Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS, Putin expressed his intention to hold a separate meeting with Raisi during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, from October 22-24.

Regarding the meeting, a written statement from the Iranian Presidency conveyed Raisi’s satisfaction with the opportunity to meet his Russian counterpart, describing the relationship between the two countries as “sincere and strategic.” Raisi called for the acceleration of the cooperation process between Iran and Russia, highlighting their mutual and complementary capacities, stating that they can assist each other in this regard. He remarked that their positions in the world are much closer to each other than to others. Raisi also expressed hope that the long-term strategic cooperation agreement between the two countries would be finalized at the BRICS Summit. Addressing Israel’s aggressions, the Iranian President criticized Israel for disregarding any international legal norms with its continued aggression, leading to crises in the region.