Day: December 8, 2023
A marathon five-hour meeting took place in the Kremlin between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, concluding just before midnight Moscow time, as confirmed by Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president’s press secretary.
President Raisi, on a state visit to Moscow since Thursday, discussed bilateral and international issues with his Russian counterpart. Putin highlighted the robust ties between Moscow and Tehran, emphasizing their economic growth and collaboration in areas such as energy and education.
Among the global challenges discussed, the Israel-Hamas conflict featured prominently in the talks. Putin noted the positive momentum in Russo-Iranian relations over the past year, citing a 20% increase in trade to reach $5 billion.
This meeting marked the conclusion of a series of engagements Putin had in the last 48 hours with leaders and officials from Middle Eastern countries. Earlier visits included stops in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, where he met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Additionally, Putin met with Omani Crown Prince Theyazin Bin Haitham Al Said on Thursday on the sidelines of the ‘Russia Calling’ 14th VTB Investment Forum in Moscow.
In a light-hearted moment during the talks with Raisi, Putin joked about considering a visit to Tehran, having already visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, he learned that President Raisi was en route to Moscow. Raisi responded by expressing Iran’s readiness to receive Putin at any time, extending an invitation for a visit to Iran.