Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mesud Pezeşkiyan met on the sidelines of the 8th Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Mesud Pezeşkiyan met on the sidelines of the 8th Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, during the bilateral meeting held as part of the summit, stated that they conducted one-on-one evaluations with Iran regarding the regional situation, emphasizing that developments in the region are of close interest to them as a neighboring and close partner. Putin expressed that they continue to fulfill their obligations in joint projects and noted that the trade volume between Russia and Iran increased by 10.4% in the first 8 months of 2026. He mentioned that the construction of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is ongoing, the number of Iranian students studying at Russian universities is approaching 10,000, and bilateral cultural ties are strengthening.
Iranian President Mesud Pezeşkiyan thanked Russia for its support in political and economic matters, highlighting that the necessity of a multipolar world order has become clear following the actions of the US in the region. Pezeşkiyan stated, “I believe we can work on all the problems we experience in our region and have the power to solve regional issues without the US. There is no need to rely on American assistance in the region.”
During the meeting, Pezeşkiyan also touched upon the steps in the media and cultural fields between the two countries, stating that he has given the necessary instructions for the Russian state broadcaster VGTRK to open a news bureau in Tehran and that the process is nearing completion. Pezeşkiyan also announced that they are ready to host the Russian Culture Festival to be held in Tehran.
