Putin congratulates new Iranian president

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with his newly elected Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, the Kremlin announced on Monday.

Pezeshkian, 69, triumphed in the runoff election over the weekend, winning three million more votes than Saeed Jalili. Iranians went to the polls after the May 19 death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.

“Both sides expressed satisfaction with the high level of good-neighborly relations Russia and Iran have achieved and confirmed their readiness to work together closely to further develop mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields,” the Kremlin said in a readout of Monday’s call.

Putin and Pezeshkian also agreed to organize a personal meeting, sometime this year.

Following the Iranian announcement of the election results, the Russian president sent Pezeshkian a congratulatory telegram.

“I hope that your activities as president will contribute to the further expansion of constructive bilateral cooperation in all areas for the benefit of our friendly nations, in the interests of strengthening regional security and stability,” Putin said in the message, according to the Kremlin. “I wish you success, good health and prosperity.”

Russia and Iran have ramped up economic and military ties to deal with a US-led embargo, most recently by expanding the natural gas trade. Moscow and Beijing have also endorsed the renewal of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, which Washington had unilaterally repudiated in 2019.