Iran, Russia vow to expand cooperation, continue consultations on regional developments

TEHRAN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for expanded bilateral cooperation across sectors and continued consultations on regional developments, according to the Iranian president's office.

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hold a meeting in Turkmenbashi on October 8, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

At a meeting on the sidelines of the eighth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Moscow, the two sides reviewed bilateral ties and the progress of joint projects, the Iranian president's office said in a statement.

Pezeshkian welcomed growing bilateral trade and highlighted both countries' determination to advance relations in science, economy, industry, culture, security and military.

He condemned the U.S. unilateral actions in the region, stressing the necessity to promote multilateralism and increase interactions among the sanctioned countries.

Pezeshkian added that regional countries have the capability and determination to resolve intraregional challenges without relying on the United States.

Putin, for his part, said trade between Russia and Iran rose 10.4 percent in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.

He said that Russia's construction of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran is continuing, and his country is fulfilling all commitments under its joint projects with Iran.

Putin expressed hope that developments in the Middle East would move in a positive direction.

Earlier in the day, Pezeshkian met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow to discuss expanding bilateral relations and energy cooperation, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

The two sides reviewed bilateral ties and stressed the importance of expanding political and economic relations and using existing capacities to raise the level of cooperation, the report said.