Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Russia will "do everything" to help end the US-led war on Iran, according to Russian news agencies.
The two leaders met in Turkmenistan on Thursday, ahead of a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) — a grouping of former Soviet countries.
"You know our position. For our part, we are ready to do everything possible to help you resolve this situation," Interfax quoted Putin as telling Pezeshkian.
According to Russian media, Putin added: "We know Iran is making genuine efforts to end the conflict, a conflict that did not break out through Iran's fault."
Putin also noted what he called "positive developments" in Iran-Russia relations.
Earlier, in a phone call on Wednesday, Putin told Pezeshkian that Moscow was ready to mediate efforts to end the fighting in the Middle East, according to Iran's IRNA news agency.
Putin and Pezeshkian also met on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan last month.
Strategic partnership
The two countries, both subject to multiple Western sanctions, have strengthened their diplomatic and military ties.
Last year, Moscow and Tehran signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership treaty", covering areas from trade and military cooperation to science, culture and education.
Ukraine and Western countries accuse Iran of supplying Shahed drones and short-range missiles to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. Russia has also been accused of providing data to Iran for attacks on US targets in the Middle East.
The meeting comes as Iran-US negotiations appear to be deadlocked.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington would not strike Iran before the US midterm elections on November 3, saying the two countries were holding "effective" talks on ending the ongoing war.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve Russia's military campaign in Ukraine also appear deadlocked, with both sides escalating their attacks.
