Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that the Middle East can solve its problems without the involvement of the United States.
“I believe we are capable of resolving our problems in the region without relying on the United States,” Pezeshkian said at a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow.
“Our trade is expanding and growing day by day. US actions in the region make it easier for us to move towards greater multilateralism and strengthen our cooperation with you and other countries subject to unilateral US sanctions,” he told Putin.
Putin said he discussed the war with Pezeshkian, expressing hope that the situation would improve.
“We spoke earlier, one-on-one, about the situation in the region — a situation that, undoubtedly, cannot help but cause concern,” he said, adding that he hoped it would “evolve in a positive direction”.
Pezeshkian said he was confident the will existed on both sides to expand cooperation in science, industry, culture, security and military affairs.
Moscow has been looking to mediate to help end the Middle East war which broke out on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Last week Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Iran for the first time since the war broke out, saying Russia’s efforts were “aimed at preventing the return of a large-scale war”, with talks stalled between Tehran and Washington.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later said Russia and Iran have “never” worked so closely.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have been stalled for months, with both the US and Israel threatening to resume their strikes on Iran.
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