Putin pledges Russian help to end Iran war at Turkmenistan talks with Pezeshkian

Putin offers help at Turkmenistan talks

Vladimir Putin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday 8 October in Avaza, Turkmenistan, ahead of a summit of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders. The Kremlin had announced the meeting for Friday, after the CIS gathering, but the two leaders decided to bring it forward to Thursday. Putin and Pezeshkian arrived in Turkmenistan on Thursday evening for the CIS summit. Putin told Pezeshkian that Russia would do whatever it could to help resolve the situation, and said Tehran had presented a new proposal for settling it by peaceful means.

We are ready to do everything possible to support the resolution of this situation.

Iran's position in the war

Putin said Iran is making "real efforts" to end a war that began on 28 February, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Iran answered with missile and drone strikes on targets in the region. Ali Khamenei was killed in a bombardment in Tehran on the first day of the war, and Putin has repeatedly condemned that killing as "a tremendous mistake". Putin also called the killing in March of Ali Larijani, described as Iran's national security chief, a tremendous error, describing him as someone capable of reaching agreements. Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, is now supreme leader, but he has not been seen in public since his father's death, and his statements have been read on state television by presenters. Putin asked Pezeshkian to pass his best wishes to the new leader. Pezeshkian, who had congratulated Putin on his 74th birthday, celebrated on Wednesday, said Iran had never left the negotiating table.

We are trying to end the war as soon as possible. And it is necessary that everyone respects our rights. But if they start from unilateral positions, that will not happen in the short term.

Russia and Iran's ties

Putin praised the positive development of relations between Russia and Iran since Moscow launched its full-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022. Kyiv and Western countries accuse Iran of supplying Russia with Shahed drones and short-range missiles for use against Ukrainian territory. Russia has in turn been accused of giving Iran targeting data for attacks on US interests in the Middle East. Putin said trade between Russia and Iran rose 21% in 2025 despite Western sanctions, and that the trend held through the first seven months of this year. The two countries have strengthened their diplomatic and military ties since 2022.

Earlier contacts

Pezeshkian thanked Putin in early September for Russia's position in the war in the Gulf region and praised the strategic relationship between the two countries. The two presidents had met at a summit in Kyrgyzstan in September, and earlier in Turkmenistan in December 2025. Deutsche Welle placed the Kyrgyzstan meeting a little over a month before Thursday's talks. The timeline below sets out the dated milestones in the war and in the leaders' contacts.