Putin Relays Iran's View on Ending Conflict to Trump
Peskov says Putin passed Iran's view of the conflict to Trump on October 9, while Bloomberg cites a Western official's claim that Russia is supplying Iran with missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin relayed Iran’s view of a possible settlement of the conflict to U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday, October 10. The call took place on Friday, October 9, and the Kremlin presents it as coordinated with Tehran: Putin acted in agreement with Pezeshkian, Peskov says.
What did Peskov say about the Putin-Trump call?
Peskov walked reporters through the sequence of events. In Turkmenistan, Putin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian twice and told him during one of the meetings that he would soon speak with Trump. Afterward, the spokesman said, Russia’s approach toward Washington was coordinated with Tehran:
“Putin then relayed to Trump the Iranian side’s view of a possible settlement of the conflict, in agreement with the Iranian president.”
The Kremlin did not say what that view contains. Neither the statement carried by Chinese broadcaster CGTN nor the TASS report mentions any reaction from Trump. The headline of Al Jazeera’s live coverage on October 10 says that, according to the Kremlin, Trump welcomed the Russian effort, but the statement in the text that was available could not be confirmed.
Most of the call, Peskov claims, was not about Iran. At Trump’s initiative, it focused mainly on resolving the conflict in Ukraine, and Iran and bilateral relations were discussed as well. Peskov added that Putin received some of the American side’s proposals on steps toward easing tensions with understanding: “The Russian president responded with understanding to some of the American side’s proposals on steps aimed at de-escalation.” The Kremlin did not explain what those proposals are.
What happened in Turkmenistan?
The meetings with Pezeshkian took place on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States summit and a summit on protecting the environment of the Caspian Sea. Besides two one-on-one talks between Putin and Pezeshkian, the leaders of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan held a trilateral meeting, attended by Ilham Aliyev. According to RTS, the three presidents called for stronger economic and trade ties and closer coordination among the Caspian states.
Sources disagree on the day of one of the Putin-Pezeshkian meetings. RTS says it took place on Friday, October 9, while the Times of Israel gives October 8. Peskov’s remarks do not address that detail, so it remains unclear exactly which meeting preceded the call with Trump.
What does Washington say about Russian support for Iran?
The same day brought a different picture of Russia’s role. Bloomberg, as relayed by the Times of Israel, reports that Western officials believe Iran has preserved its missile and drone factories and can rebuild its stockpiles. According to that assessment, Iran still holds part of its anti-ship weaponry and a considerable number of ballistic missiles, and one of the officials claims Russia is supplying Iran with missiles. Russia’s Defense Ministry did not respond to the allegations.
The assessment contradicts what U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on September 30: that the United States destroyed Iran’s military-industrial capacity. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly rejected the Western officials’ assessment:
“First, President Trump obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer. Then Operation Epic Fury successfully destroyed the conventional shield Iran had been trying to build.”
On U.S. plans, RTS cites a New York Times report that Washington is weighing a three-day military operation against Iran despite the diplomatic efforts. Trump has said the talks with Iran are productive and that he will not attack the country before the midterm elections in November.
How is Tehran responding?
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X, and the post was carried by the Tasnim agency. He wrote:
“Throughout history, we Iranians have faced those who proclaimed themselves masters of the universe and sought to erase ancient civilizations. They came in fire and flames, and left in dust and disgrace. Those who follow Alexander’s legacy will meet Valerian’s fate: you will kneel.”
The post followed criticism from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei, who objected to the way U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had portrayed Western civilization in Greece. The head of Iran’s nuclear program, Mohammad Eslami, said Iran will not give up its right to enrich uranium, which he called an “integral part” of the nuclear process. Disagreements over the nuclear program continue to weigh on the negotiations.
What is happening on the ground?
While talks were under way in Turkmenistan, new incidents were recorded in the region. According to RTS, a liquefied petroleum gas tanker owned by a Vietnamese company was hit south of the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire, and the Revolutionary Guard claims it was sailing on an unauthorized route. Off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, an unidentified projectile hit another ship, which caught fire, and no one has claimed responsibility. The Revolutionary Guard said it will not allow foreign powers to interfere in control of the Strait of Hormuz.
In Lebanon, an Israeli strike near the town of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali in the Hermel district, close to the Syrian border, wounded six people. The Lebanese Health Ministry said that “an Israeli strike near the town of Hawsh al-Sayyid Ali in the Hermel district wounded six people,” among them five Syrian nationals and one Lebanese national, and two of the wounded are women. Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reports that a drone hit a car. Israeli authorities said the target was a “Syrian terrorist” who, by their account, was planning attacks on Israel on Iranian instructions.
