He will meet his Iranian and Turkish counterpart
Vladimir Putin arrived on a visit to Iran. The Russian president will participate in a summit with his Iranian and Turkish counterpart on the Syrian conflict. The three countries are cooperating to reduce violence in Syria, despite being on different sides of the conflict. Russia and Iran are the biggest backers of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey backs the rebels.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch a new operation in northern Syria, but Tehran and Moscow have spoken out against it. In Tehran, Putin and Erdogan will have a bilateral meeting, where they will discuss the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, writes Reuters.
It is the Russian leader’s first visit outside the former Soviet Union since Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Putin’s visit to Tehran is being watched closely as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed the situation in international oil markets, but also in view of Washington’s warning to Iran to abandon its intention to supply Russia with several hundred drones. Tehran has denied selling drones to Moscow for use in Ukraine.
Buoyed by high oil prices because of the conflict in Ukraine, Tehran is also betting that, with Russia’s support, it will be able to force the United States to make concessions on the issue of resuming the 2015 nuclear deal.
