According to Ettelaat, President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening during the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit of heads of state and the Caspian Sea rim summit in Turkmenistan. The report states that Pezeshkian told Putin that relations between the two countries had developed in trade, economic, and humanitarian spheres; that Tehran opposes unilateralism and will not retreat from the negotiating table; and that proposals exchanged through diplomatic channels with the United States are planned to be finalized following revisions from his side.
In a separate account highlighted by Hamshahri, Putin requested that Pezeshkian convey "his best wishes" to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayed Morteza Khamenei and stated that Moscow was aware of Tehran's efforts to end the Middle East conflict. According to Hamshahri, Putin noted that Russia-Iran trade volume increased by over 21 percent by the end of 2025 and that this trend continued through the first seven months of this year, adding that Moscow was prepared to contribute everything in its power to resolving the crisis.
In a more detailed account, Ettelaat reports Putin saying, "Moscow's position on this matter is completely clear, and Russia will use all its might to resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels," and noting that Iran's new proposals to end the war had been registered. Pezeshkian is reported to have expressed appreciation for Russia's stance against U.S. unilateralism, stating "every time we meet they attack us again, but we will not leave the negotiating table." Both countries reaffirmed their determination to strengthen strategic cooperation in energy, agriculture, transport, and trade.
Donya-ye Eghtesad reported the same day's meeting under a different headline, "Pezeshkian: They cannot encircle us so easily," framing it around Pezeshkian's domestic defiance of encirclement rather than the diplomatic content. According to IRNA's RSS summary, Putin made a separate statement saying Iran's efforts toward negotiation were "sincere" and Russia was ready to assist in resolution; this statement aligns with the accounts from Ettelaat and Hamshahri.
How the Persian press covered it
| Source (orientation) | Headline / framing |
|---|---|
| Ettelaat (Established daily, moderate-traditionalist) | Reports the official text of the meeting; emphasizes Pezeshkian's "we will not leave the table" message. |
| Hamshahri (Tehran municipality, principlist) | Highlights Putin's greeting to Khamenei in the headline; adds trade volume figures. |
| Donya-ye Eghtesad (Economic daily, technocratic) | Shifts emphasis from diplomatic content to Pezeshkian's defiant domestic rhetoric against encirclement. |
Context
The meeting coincides with the same date on which Trump announced he would not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections; Tehran's highlighting of relations with Moscow at this juncture signals continuing pursuit of diplomatic backing. Putin's message of respect to Khamenei goes beyond protocol courtesy and may be read as Russia's effort to establish direct contact with Iran's highest authority; however, Persian sources do not explicitly comment on this. The strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Iran was signed in 2025; the two countries have continued to expand cooperation under this framework in energy and transport projects. Note that Putin made no concrete commitment to military or financial aid in the meeting, offering only diplomatic support; the scope of "Russia's assistance" therefore remains unclear.
