In this photo distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, along with other leaders, pose for a group photo during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, on Sept. 1, 2025. (Credit: Vladimir Smirnov/AFP.)
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Monday with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China, the Kremlin announced.
“Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are beginning a bilateral meeting,” the Kremlin said on Telegram, releasing a video of the two leaders shaking hands.
The Russian presidency had earlier indicated that the talks would focus in particular on Tehran’s nuclear program. Western countries suspect Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and have threatened to reinstate sanctions suspended a decade ago. Tehran denies the accusations, insisting it has no intention of developing nuclear arms and that its nuclear program is purely civilian.
Russia, a close ally of Iran, has backed Tehran on this issue. Last Friday, Moscow urged Western governments to “come to their senses and rethink their erroneous decisions,” warning of the “irreparable consequences” of their policies.
The two countries have deepened ties since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine in 2022. In January, they signed a strategic partnership treaty aimed at strengthening cooperation, particularly in the military sphere. Iran has meanwhile been accused by Kyiv and Western nations of supplying Shahed drones and short-range missiles to Russia for its war effort.
