Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for Moscow’s support during the conflict in the Middle East, as the two leaders met for the first time since the war broke out.
Pezeshkian expressed his appreciation on Tuesday during a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan.
The Iranian president praised Russia’s position during the conflict and over previous international disputes involving Iran, including sanctions imposed by the United States.
“We appreciate and thank you for your positions at every stage, both during the period when the fighting and acts of aggression were taking place and under normal circumstances, when the United States was imposing sanctions on us, both at the United Nations and in international forums,” Pezeshkian told Putin.
He described the relationship between Tehran and Moscow as strategic rather than ordinary.
“This shows that our relationship is a strategic relationship; it is not an ordinary relationship,” he added.
According to an earlier statement by the Iranian presidency, the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways to strengthen and expand cooperation across various sectors.
The meeting came as Tehran continued to navigate tensions with Washington following the conflict between Iran and the United States.
Pezeshkian had earlier said Iran was prepared to reciprocate if Washington returned to its commitments under a June memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict.
“I state explicitly that if the United States returns to its commitments under the aforementioned Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take reciprocal action,” Pezeshkian said, according to the Iranian presidency’s website.
Pezeshkian and Putin last met in December 2025 during a summit in Turkmenistan.
The conflict erupted on February 28 following US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and senior Iranian military officials.
Iran subsequently launched retaliatory attacks across the region, escalating the conflict and raising concerns about its wider regional impact.
Tehran later blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes, while the United States imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
An April 8 ceasefire halted the most intense phase of the fighting, although sporadic attacks, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, have continued to undermine prospects for a lasting peace agreement.
Washington has also shifted towards what it describes as a campaign of “economic asphyxiation” against Iran, further increasing pressure on Tehran.
Russia has significantly strengthened its military and economic relationship with Iran in recent years, particularly since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
During a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Saint Petersburg in late April, Putin said Moscow would do “everything” within its capacity to help secure peace in the Middle East.
Tuesday’s meeting between Putin and Pezeshkian therefore provided an opportunity for both leaders to reaffirm their strategic partnership amid continuing tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel.