Pezeshkian thanks Putin at SCO summit, signals conditional ceasefire readiness
At the SCO summit, Pezeshkian thanked Putin for support against US sanctions and signaled openness to a ceasefire if Washington honors the June deal.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday. It was their first meeting since the outbreak of the conflict, and Pezeshkian used the occasion to express gratitude for Moscow's backing.
"We appreciate and thank you for your positions at every stage, both during the period when the fighting and acts of aggression were taking place and under normal circumstances, when the United States was imposing sanctions on us," Pezeshkian told Putin, according to the Iranian presidency. He described the relationship as "strategic," not ordinary, and suggested the two heavily sanctioned nations could jointly resist US "unilateralism."
Putin, in response, voiced solidarity with the Iranian people, saying, "We admire your courage and resilience in the fight for your national interests." He added that Moscow was "trying to provide you with the assistance you need" and noted that trade and economic ties were being maintained despite the military and political situation.
The meeting came a day after Iran and the United States resumed exchanges of fire following over a month of relative calm. Earlier Tuesday, Pezeshkian indicated Tehran's openness to returning to a June agreement aimed at ending the conflict, provided Washington also returns to its commitments. The June memorandum had outlined an immediate ceasefire and a 60-day negotiation window toward a broader peace deal, covering the Strait of Hormuz, the US naval blockade, sanctions, and Iranian oil exports. That framework collapsed after both sides accused each other of violations.
Pezeshkian warned that renewed US "pressure and threats" could undermine diplomatic efforts. The Strait of Hormuz remains a central flashpoint, with Tehran maintaining shipping restrictions and Washington enforcing a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
The SCO summit, which also brought together Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, served as a backdrop for the talks. Putin told the gathering that the UN Charter should remain a key source of international law while new regional structures become part of a "multipolar world." The developments follow US President Donald Trump's warning to hit Iran "hard" and his caution to Russia and China against providing military assistance to Tehran.