Pezeshkian thanks Putin for Russia’s stance on Middle East conflict

TURKMENBASHI /Turkmenistan/, October 8. /TASS/. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his stance in the Middle East conflict.

"I would like to thank you for your stance in the region, as well as at the UN level. Thanks to your assistance, they failed to impose a unilateral approach on us. For that, we are always grateful to you: for your stance, and for your country’s stance," Pezeshkian said at a meeting with Putin in Turkmenistan.

He emphasized that Putin always opposes unilateralism, and Iran values this approach.

"We need to move toward multilateralism, and prevent unilateralism from spreading across the world. The US tries to dictate its viewpoint to countries all over the world. Currently, these same politicians are imposing their domestic political course on others, they are dictating to other countries," Pezeshkian continued.

The Iranian president also mentioned his country’s negotiating process with the US, noting that US attacks occurred while negotiations were still under way.

"But we have never walked away from the negotiating table," Pezeshkian added.

He said that the sides had exchanged their initiatives, and, once the review process is finalized, its outcomes can be concluded through mediators.

"We are trying to put an end to the war as soon as possible. And our rights should be respected. But if they proceed from a unilateral approach, this cannot happen in the near future," the Iranian president said.

The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding envisaging an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, the United States resumed large-scale attacks on Iran overnight to July 8, having accused it of breaching the existing agreements in what concerned the Strait of Hormuz, a global chokepoint for approximately 25% of oil and some 20% of LNG supplies.

The Trump administration recently signaled an end to any large-scale use of force against Iran and a transition to putting economic pressure on the Islamic Republic through sanctions instead.