ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Oct 11, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin began talks with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat on Friday, Russian news agencies reported.

The meeting comes amid soaring tensions in the Middle East, with Israeli air strikes on Lebanon's capital Beirut that it says are aimed at Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Ties between Russia and Iran -- both under Western sanctions -- have strengthened massively since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, with Tehran widely believed to be supplying Moscow with weapons.
In a short video published by a Russian state TV reporter, Pezeshkian accused Israel of bombing civilians and being backed by Western powers, according to a Russian translation.

The leaders are meeting for the first time at a regional summit in the Central Asian country, one of the most reclusive in the world.

The Kremlin earlier said the two will discuss mutual relations as well as the situation in the Middle East.

Pezeshkian will also hold talks with Putin during a visit to Russia later this month to attend the new BRICS summit.

He was inaugurated in late July, taking office after his predecessor died in a helicopter crash.