Putin and Pezeshkian Discuss Middle East Peace in Turkmenistan

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Avaza, Turkmenistan, on Thursday to discuss ending the war in the Middle East. The bilateral meeting occurred ahead of the Commonwealth of Independent States summit.

Putin pledged to do everything in Russia's power to contribute to a settlement and acknowledged the efforts Iran has made to end the conflict since US-Israeli attacks began on February 28. The two leaders represent some of the most sanctioned nations globally and have strengthened their military and diplomatic ties since 2022.

This diplomatic outreach follows a breakdown in Iran-US negotiations. Pezeshkian characterized talks with Washington as "meaningless," signaling an impasse in diplomatic efforts between Tehran and the United States.