*New world’s strongman doesn’t plan to call Assad after visit except necessary – Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in obvious start of his planned tour around the world for stronger ties with friendly countries, has arrived Tehran, the capital of Islamic Republic of Iran.
He is in the country to participate in a meeting with his Iranian and Turikish counterparts on strengthening trilateral relations and settling issues on Syria.
The new world’s strongman so far doesn’t plan to call his Syrian counterpart, Al-Bashar Assad, after the visit to the country, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS upon Putin’s arrival on Tuesday.
But such a call to Assad may be organized if need be, he said.
“So far, there are no such plans. But if the president thinks it necessary, he will call him,” he said when asked whether Putin plans to have a telephone conversation with Assad after this visit.
On Tuesday, the Russian president arrived in Tehran to take part in the summit of the Astana process guarantor nations (Russia, Iran, Turkey) on Syrian settlement.
The meeting between the leaders of the three regional powers namely Russia, Iran and Turkey aims at bolstering their relations.
Putin’s arrival comes shortly after gas giant Gazprom announced a cooperation deal with Tehran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tehran on Tuesday ahead of talks with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts on key issues affecting the region.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will discuss the ongoing conflict in Syria as well as the UN-backed proposal to allow for grain to be exported from Ukrainian ports.
The three regional powers have a complex relationship of shared interests and conflicts.
The talks mark Putin’s second trip outside of Russia since the beginning of the war on February 14 and the first face-to-face meeting with a NATO member leader.
The talks also come days after US President Joe Biden visited Washington’s key allies in the region — Saudi Arabia and Israel, as well as the Palestinian Territories.
