In a significant diplomatic meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held discussions on the sidelines of an international forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The meeting comes at a time when Tehran is reportedly supplying weapons for Russia's war in Ukraine, and concerns are mounting over escalating conflicts between Israel, Iran, and its militant allies.
Notably, Moscow and Tehran signed a $1.7 billion deal for Iran to export drones to Russia following Putin's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Additionally, there are reports that Iran may have transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, as per U.S. intelligence.
The British domestic intelligence agency MI5 recently accused both Russia and Iran of a significant increase in attempts at assassination, sabotage, and other crimes on U.K. soil. MI5's head, Ken McCallum, highlighted that his agency has thwarted 20 potentially lethal plots backed by Iran since 2022 and warned of the possibility of expanded targeting in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East intensify.
During their meeting, Putin emphasized the close alignment of Moscow and Tehran's positions on international events. He extended an invitation to Pezeshkian to visit Russia, which was accepted by the Iranian leader. Putin also expressed his vision of creating a 'new world order' of allies to counter the West.
The international forum in Ashgabat is being attended by regional leaders, including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and heads of Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Putin is expected to engage in talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, who assumed office in March 2022, succeeding his father, Gurbanguly, as the leader of the gas-rich country.
Notably, Turkmenistan has remained relatively isolated under autocratic rule since gaining independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
