Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that the Middle East possesses the capability to resolve its internal challenges without the involvement of the United States. During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow on Tuesday, Pezeshkian emphasized regional autonomy.
"I believe we are capable of resolving our problems in the region without relying on the United States," Pezeshkian remarked. He further noted that trade relations between Iran and Russia are on an upward trajectory, suggesting that Washington's policies are inadvertently fostering deeper cooperation among nations currently facing American sanctions. According to the Iranian leader, US actions are making it easier for countries to move toward multilateralism and strengthen ties with one another.
President Putin confirmed that he held private discussions with Pezeshkian regarding the regional situation, which he acknowledged is a source of concern. The Russian leader expressed hope that these circumstances would evolve in a positive direction. Pezeshkian also expressed confidence in the mutual commitment of both nations to expand cooperation across various sectors, including science, industry, culture, security, and military affairs.
Moscow has been actively seeking to mediate an end to the war on Iran, which commenced on February 28 following US-Israeli strikes. Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Iran—his first such trip since the conflict began—to emphasize that Moscow's diplomatic efforts are aimed at preventing the escalation into a large-scale war. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later remarked that the partnership between Russia and Iran has reached unprecedented levels of closeness. Meanwhile, diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain stalled, amid ongoing threats from both the US and Israel to resume strikes on Iranian targets.
