Vladimir Putin says Moscow will help resolve Middle East conflict with "real efforts to end the war"

Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, held talks with Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, on Thursday, as both arrived in Turkmenistan for a Commonwealth of Independent States summit, Russian media reported. Putin said Moscow would help resolve the conflict in the Middle East and remarked on strengthening Iran-Russia relations. The meeting came after U.S. and Israeli attacks began on Feb. 28, according to the report, and as negotiations between Tehran and Washington were stalled; Pezeshkian said this week that talks with Washington had no point. Russia and Iran have expanded diplomatic and military ties and grown more reliant on each other since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine and Western countries have accused Iran of sending Russia drones and missiles, while Russia has been accused of providing Iran targeting information for attacks on American interests in the Middle East, according to the report.