Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Turkmenistan, with Iran-U.S. negotiations and regional diplomacy at the center of their talks. Pezeshkian said the two countries had submitted new negotiating proposals aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting took place between sessions of the summit of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the summit of countries surrounding the Caspian Sea. Pezeshkian and Putin also assessed the course of Iran-Russia relations and discussed cooperation in energy, agriculture, transport and trade.
Tehran and Washington revise proposals
Pezeshkian said they would not leave the negotiating table with the United States even as the war continued. The Iranian president said, "We are holding talks, but every time we speak with the United States, they attack again. Despite this, we will not withdraw from the negotiating table or from dialogue."
Pezeshkian said Tehran had submitted its own proposals and that Washington had also made new offers. He said the Iranian side had made changes to the texts. He added that after the proposals were finalized, the parties planned to meet again through the existing mediators.
Pezeshkian said they wanted the war to end but expected the rights of the Iranian people to be protected under international law.
Joint projects on Iran-Russia cooperation agenda
The Iranian and Russian presidents agreed to accelerate the completion of joint projects. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to developing comprehensive cooperation in line with national interests and regional stability.
Pezeshkian thanked Putin for Russia's position on regional issues and at the United Nations. Saying that Moscow had helped counter unilateral approaches, Pezeshkian expressed hope that coordination between Tehran and Moscow would advance more quickly and forcefully.
Putin's message on a diplomatic solution
Pezeshkian and Putin had previously met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit held on Sept. 1 in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. At the meeting, which addressed bilateral relations and the Iran-U.S. conflict, Putin described the ceasefire between the United States and Iran as "unstable and very fragile" and said support for Tehran would continue.
The Iranian and Russian presidents also spoke by phone on Wednesday to discuss the Iran-U.S. negotiations. Putin said Russia was ready to support efforts to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.
Agenda of the summits in Turkmenistan
Putin arrived in Turkmenistan on Thursday to attend two summits held in the Avaza National Tourism Zone on the Caspian Sea coast. During the two-day visit, the summit of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States is expected to address cooperation among member countries as well as regional and international developments.
The leaders of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan are meeting at the Caspian summit. Environmental cooperation in the Caspian Sea region is on the meeting's agenda.
Putin: Trade increased by more than 21%
Putin also said during the meeting that relations between Moscow and Tehran had strengthened within the framework of an agreement signed at the beginning of 2025. He said the volume of trade between Russia and Iran increased by more than 21% by the end of 2025 and that the trend continued during the first seven months of the year. Putin asked Pezeshkian to convey his best wishes to Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Putin made a two-day working visit to Turkmenistan for the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Caspian Environmental Summit.
