Relations with Iran a 'priority', hails 'close' views

ASHGABAT, Oct 11 (AFP): Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that relations with Iran were a "priority" for Moscow, after talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the two countries had "very close" views of world events.
"Relations with Iran are a priority for us, they are developing very successfully," Putin said. "We are actively working together on the international arena, and our views of events in the world are often very close."
The meeting comes amid soaring tensions in the Middle East, with Israeli air strikes on Lebanon's capital Beirut that it says are aimed at Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Ties between Russia and Iran-both under Western sanctions-have strengthened massively since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, with Tehran widely believed to be supplying Moscow with weapons.