By Russian President Vladimir Putin began a diplomatic visit to Turkmenistan on Friday, meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of an international forum in Ashgabat. The meeting comes at a critical time, with Iran supplying weapons for Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing concerns over escalating conflicts between Israel and Iran and its allies.
According to Russian state media, Putin and Pezeshkian discussed the situation in the Middle East. The Russian leader emphasized that Moscow and Tehran’s positions on international events are often closely aligned. Putin extended an invitation for Pezeshkian to visit Russia, which the Iranian president reportedly accepted.
The meeting underscores the strengthening ties between Russia and Iran, highlighted by a $1.7 billion deal signed in 2022 for Iran to export drones to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. U.S. intelligence also suggests that Iran has transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
This growing cooperation has raised alarms in the West. Ken McCallum, head of Britain’s MI5 intelligence agency, recently accused both countries of a “staggering” increase in assassination attempts, sabotage, and other criminal activities on UK soil. McCallum warned that Iran might expand its targets in the UK if Middle East conflicts intensify.
During the forum’s opening, Putin expressed his desire to create a “new world order” comprising Moscow’s allies to counter Western influence. The conference is attended by other regional leaders, including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and the heads of Central Asian nations Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Putin is also expected to hold talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, who succeeded his father in March 2022. Turkmenistan, a gas-rich country, has remained largely isolated under autocratic rule since gaining independence after the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991.
This diplomatic gathering in Turkmenistan serves as a platform for Putin to strengthen Russia’s alliances and project influence in Central Asia, particularly as tensions with the West continue to escalate over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and broader geopolitical issues.
apnews.com
