Putin meets with Iranian President Pezeshkian for first time

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iran's recently elected President Masoud Pezeshkian in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Oct. 11.

It was the first time the two leaders had met.

"We are actively working together in the international arena and our assessments of events taking place in the world are often very close," Putin said.

The Russian state-run media outlet TASS reported that Putin and Pezeshkian would discuss a number of bilateral issues, as well as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The meeting occurred against the backdrop of an international forum that leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Tajikistan were invited to, among others.

The Turkmen capital is hosting the forum called "Interconnection of Times and Civilizations – the Basis of Peace and Development," dedicated to the 300th anniversary of Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi.

Pezeshkian won Iran's runoff election in July earlier this year, defeating hard-liner Saeed Jalili. Internationally recognized monitors were not present to verify the results or guarantee the fairness of the election.

The runoff election was triggered by the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister in a helicopter crash in May.

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