Iranian President to Meet Putin in Kyrgyzstan Next Week

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Kyrgyzstan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. The summit is scheduled to take place on September 1, 2026, in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

This upcoming meeting will mark the sixth face-to-face encounter between President Pezeshkian and President Putin. The announcement was made by Iranian Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, who stated that the leaders have already had five previous meetings. The SCO brings together ten member states, including Iran, Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, along with Central Asian nations.

The meeting between the two leaders occurs at a time of heightened economic pressure on Iran. Earlier this week, Washington announced new sanctions intended to "suffocate" Tehran economically, threatening similar measures against countries trading with Iran. Russia is identified as one of Iran's major trading partners.

Bilateral trade figures indicate substantial economic ties. In the ten months leading up to January 2026, Russian imports from Iran totaled $930 million, while exports reached $1.36 billion, according to Iranian customs data. In 2022, Russia traded grains, gold, and timber for Iranian agricultural products, according to the World Bank. This cooperation has reportedly intensified since then, including exchanges of military equipment. British newspaper The Telegraph has also reported on a new trade route between the two countries via the Caspian Sea.

“

President Massoud Pezeshkian has had five one-on-one meetings so far, and next week, he will participate in the Shanghai summit in Kyrgyzstan, where he will have his sixth meeting with him.