Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Iran’s new president as concerns grow over escalating attacks between Israel and Iran along with its network of aligned armed groups.

Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed the situation in the Middle East on the sidelines of a regional meeting in Turkmenistan on Friday, Russian state media reported.

They met before their two countries are expected to sign a strategic partnership agreement.

Pezeshkian said on Friday that he hoped the agreement could be finalised at the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit, which Putin invited him to, in Russia on October 22-24.

During their meeting, Putin told Pezeshkian that Moscow’s and Tehran’s positions on international affairs were often “very close”, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

“Relations with Iran are a priority for us. They are developing very successfully,” Putin said.

Iranian news agency IRNA also quoted Pezeshkian as sharing a similar sentiment: “Economically and culturally, our communications are being strengthened day by day and becoming more robust.”

Pezeshkian also spoke about Israel’s “savage attacks” in Lebanon, adding that Israel should “stop killing innocent people” in the region and accused the United States and Europe of backing its actions.

The Israeli military has sent ground troops into southern Lebanon and continues to bombard the country as it battles the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which is aligned with Tehran.

Russia has also previously condemned Israel for targeting civilian areas during its wars in Lebanon and Gaza.

Relations between Russia and Iran have strengthened significantly since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. The US has accused Iran of supplying Russia with weapons to be used in Ukraine. Tehran has denied that claim.

As the conference opened on Friday, Putin said he wanted to create a “new world order” for Moscow’s allies to counter the West.

He said Moscow supported “the broadest possible international discussion” on the emerging multipolar world and was open to discussing it in various forums, including the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS.

Other regional leaders, including Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and the heads of Central Asian nations – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – attended Friday’s conference.