Putin offers help to end Iran war while Russia continues its own in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered assistance in ending the Iran-US war during a bilateral meeting with Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, while Russia continues its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year. The Russian leader praised Iran for making "genuine efforts" to resolve the conflict and emphasized that Tehran was reviewing and amending proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite continuous US aggression, Pezeshkian stated that Iran would not withdraw from the negotiating table. The meeting was the seventh of its kind since Pezeshkian's tenure began and the seventh in-person encounter between the two presidents, with earlier discussions taking place on the sidelines of various summits. Russia has strengthened its ties with Iran, supplying Shahed drone technology and short-range missiles since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Ties between the two nations have further solidified through economic cooperation, with trade between the countries increasing by over 21% in 2025 and continuing into 2026. However, a $1 billion loan to Iran, initially proposed and reportedly agreed upon, faces bureaucratic hurdles as various Iranian ministries compete for its allocation.