On October 8, 2026, in Turkmenistan, Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and offered Moscow’s role as an assistant in resolving the war in the Middle East. The Russian dictator stated that Iran is allegedly not guilty of the conflict’s emergence and is trying to end it peacefully. On the same day, US President Donald Trump promised not to resume strikes on Iran until the American elections on November 3.
Author: Anton Pshedynsky.
For Israel, this is not just another meeting of two presidents. Russia is increasingly cooperating with a state that Israel considers one of the main threats to its security. And for Ukraine, this meeting has an even more specific meaning: Iranian Shahed drones have become one of the main tools of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities.
What Putin promised the President of Iran
The meeting took place on the sidelines of international events in Turkmenistan, where Putin arrived to participate in the CIS summit — the Commonwealth of Independent States, uniting several former Soviet republics — and the Caspian Environmental Summit.
Addressing Pezeshkian, Putin called the situation in the Middle East the most acute regional problem and promised to do everything possible to resolve it.
His assessment of the causes of the war was particularly indicative. According to the Russian leader, the conflict did not start because of Iran, and Tehran is allegedly making real efforts to end it.
Separately, Putin asked to convey wishes of well-being to Mojtaba Khamenei — the Supreme Leader of Iran, holding the highest position in the political and religious system of the Islamic Republic.
This was an open demonstration of political support for the Iranian leadership. But no specific Russian peace plan, agreed-upon mediation mechanism, or new commitments were publicly presented following the meeting.
Tehran prepares proposals for Washington
Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran continues to seek a diplomatic way out of the war. At the same time, he blamed the United States for the lack of an agreement.
The Iranian president stated that Tehran has not stopped negotiations despite American military strikes and is now finalizing a new package of proposals. After coordination, the document is expected to be passed to the other side through intermediaries.
Pezeshkian did not specify what conditions Iran is proposing.
A separate question arose: did Putin receive a special message for Trump from the Iranian president? On October 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that there was no message.
Therefore, there is no basis to claim that Moscow has already become an official mediator between Washington and Tehran.
Trump set the date — November 3
Almost simultaneously with the negotiations in Turkmenistan, Donald Trump announced that the US would not resume strikes on Iran until November 3, 2026, when the midterm elections to the US Congress will take place.
Trump called the negotiations with the Iranian side productive. However, he simultaneously emphasized that the American blockade would continue, and Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons.
For Israel, this is an important signal. Washington temporarily limits the possibility of a new American offensive but does not announce the end of the war. Issues of the Iranian nuclear program, enriched uranium, and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic route for oil supplies from the Persian Gulf — remain subjects of confrontation.
It turns out that American and Russian diplomacy are now acting in parallel. But this does not yet mean that Washington has recognized any role for Moscow in the peace process.
Russia and Iran: not just diplomacy
In January 2025, Moscow and Tehran signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement for 20 years. It covers the economy, energy, security, and military-technical cooperation.
The agreement does not provide for automatic entry of one country into war on the side of the other. However, Russian-Iranian military ties existed long before its signing.
Since 2022, Russia has been using Iranian-origin strike drones against Ukraine. Later, the production of Russian modifications of Shahed was deployed directly on Russian territory.
In the material “Iranian operators launched ‘Shaheds’ on Ukraine” NANews has already reported on Vladimir Zelensky’s statement regarding the participation of Iranian specialists in the initial attacks on Ukrainian cities.
This is where a contradiction arises that cannot be hidden by diplomatic formulations. Putin offers help in ending the war in the Middle East, while his own army continues the war against Ukraine, using, among other things, weapons developed by Iranian partners.
Why this concerns Israel
Israel knows well what the Iranian military infrastructure represents. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — IRGC, one of the main military and political structures of the Iranian regime — plays a central role in Tehran’s missile program and its cooperation with armed groups in the region.
This includes the Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemeni Houthis. Therefore, the relations between Moscow and Tehran raise questions not only about diplomacy but also about possible exchanges of technology and intelligence information.
NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency previously published a statement from the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel about Russian-Iranian cooperation. Ukrainian diplomats called on democratic states to jointly counter the threats posed by Moscow and Tehran.
For Kyiv and Jerusalem, the threats differ, but there is a quite material connection between them: drones, military technologies, strategic partnership of the two regimes.
Peacemaker who continues his own war
As of October 9, the Russian proposal remains a political declaration. Neither the US nor Israel has publicly announced agreement to Russian mediation. There is also no confirmed agreement capable of ending the war around Iran.
Moscow is trying to strengthen its diplomatic positions by supporting Tehran while simultaneously offering help in ending the conflict.
But the main question remains unanswered: what role can a state play in achieving peace that itself is waging an aggressive war against a neighboring country?
For Israelis, this is a question of trust in a possible mediator. For Ukrainians, it is also a question of responsibility for the weapons with which the Russian army continues to attack their homes.