Putin Offers Help to Resolve Middle East Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to help resolve the Middle East conflict during talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Turkmenistan, saying Moscow was ready to do what it could to support a settlement. The meeting took place in Avaza on Thursday, October 8, ahead of a regional summit scheduled to open the following day. Putin said Iran was making efforts to end the conflict, according to reports of his remarks. His offer was a public expression of support; the accounts did not establish that Russia had begun mediating or that the meeting had advanced a settlement. Pezeshkian criticized what he described as Washington’s unilateral approach to foreign policy. He has said direct negotiations with the United States were meaningless amid attacks, while also describing indirect exchanges through intermediaries and revised proposals. He said Tehran would communicate the results once the proposal process was finalized, according to one account of the meeting. The presidents met as efforts to resolve the conflict between Tehran and Washington appeared stalled.