International Desk: Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East and ongoing war with Ukraine.

These two leaders discussed the deepening of economic relations between the two countries and the world situation in the talks held in Turkmenistan on Friday (October 11). Meanwhile, the United States is looking at them with concern.

Putin told Pezeshkian, 'We actively participate shoulder to shoulder in the international arena. There is also considerable similarity in our views on the global situation.'

Russia has also claimed that the scope of relations with Iran is increasing in all fields.

Putin, who has become an eyesore for Washington and the European Union over Russian military operations in Ukraine, views the war as a struggle for existence against an arrogant and self-interested Western world. He is trying to strengthen relations with the 'Global East and Global South' to win the struggle.

Russian state media RIA reported that Pezheshkian was invited by Putin for an official visit. The Iranian president accepted his invitation.

During the meeting, Pezeshkian told Putin, 'Economically and culturally, our ties are getting stronger day by day. It is possible to strengthen our bilateral relations only by accelerating the trend of willing cooperation between the top leaders of the two countries.

In a video message released by the Iranian president's office after the meeting, Pezeshkian said, 'We had a constructive discussion. We have agreed to speedily complete several projects including gas field, road and railway construction, petrochemical, energy and power sector.

Pezeshkian said last month that Iran has decided to develop relations with Russia to cope with the shock of Western sanctions. Besides, he expressed hope that the strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Iran will be completed after the BRICS conference this month.

The White House is concerned about the closeness between Tehran and Moscow. The US accuses Iran of providing ballistic missiles to Russia in the Ukraine war. Tehran has always denied the allegations.

Source: Reuters