Pezeshkian meets with Putin in Bishkek

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. In his speech, Putin stated that relations between Russia and Iran are developing in all areas in line with the spirit of the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, saying, "Russia stands in solidarity with the Iranian people.

We admire your courage and determination in the struggle for your national interests. We welcomed the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US in June of this year, but unfortunately, the ceasefire turned out to be unstable and extremely fragile.

We are trying to provide you with the necessary assistance during this difficult period; we have discussed this with you, and we will supply the products you need. Despite the military and political situation, we are maintaining the momentum of last year in trade and economic relations. The work of the intergovernmental commission, which operates regularly and held its next meeting recently, plays an effective role in this," he said.

Stating that the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran is an important element, Putin noted that great importance is attached to expanding humanitarian cooperation. Putin said, "More and more Iranian students are choosing to study in Russia. We are very pleased with this. In the 2025-2026 academic year, the number of Iranian students in Russia approached 10 thousand, 802 of whom are studying thanks to resources allocated from the Russian budget."

"If the US returns to complying with the set obligations, we will also return"

Pezeshkian also thanked Putin for his stance and position even during difficult times such as war, conflicts, and US sanctions, saying, "You have supported us at the UN and in other international organizations as well. Our relations are strategic in nature. This is not an ordinary relationship; it is a relationship at a strategic level. We believe that in this way, we can resist the unilateral policies of the US and all the unjust sanctions they impose on us.

We can somehow break these sanctions. Within the framework of platforms like the SCO and other organizations, we can resist all unilateral policies and thus continue our cooperation on the basis of multilateralism. They do not have the right to impose sanctions whenever they want, violate international law, and then use violence.

They killed our scientists, innocent students, and commanders. This is unacceptable under any framework. They talk about democracy and say that human rights are protected, but they recognize no obstacles in front of them to legitimize such actions," he said.

Stating that there is an agreement and memorandum of understanding regarding a ceasefire between Iran and the US, Pezeshkian said, "If the US returns to complying with the obligations set within this framework, we will also return and continue to comply with all these measures. They cannot impose all these wrong and illegal actions and words on us. We are here to fight against unilateralism. We want to go beyond the limits of unilateralism. I am sure we will win."