During Meeting with Pezeshkian, Putin Expects 'Positive Developments' in the Middle East

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian at the Kremlin on Tuesday that he expects the situation in the Middle East to develop positively.

Speaking during the meeting held on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow, Putin said: "We expect the situation in the Middle East to evolve positively," noting that he had discussed regional developments with the Iranian president during direct talks.

The two sides reviewed regional developments and bilateral relations between their countries. Pezeshkian expressed his country's gratitude for Russia's support for Iran, stating that there is "no point in relying on the United States to resolve Middle Eastern issues," according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Putin confirmed the continued growth of trade turnover between Moscow and Tehran, explaining that bilateral trade volume increased by 10.4% during the first 8 months of this year.

The Russian president noted the ongoing work on the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, affirming that Moscow fulfills all its commitments regarding joint projects with Tehran.

Putin described the summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum as "fruitful," expressing his welcome to meeting his Iranian counterpart and reaffirming Moscow's commitment to continuing bilateral cooperation.