Iran’s president met with Putin amid tensions with Israel.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Turkmenistan, where both leaders are attending a ceremony marking the 300th anniversary of the 18th-century poet Makhtumkuli Fraghi.

According to the Iranian state news agency, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), President Raisi said from the cultural platform that the call for unity is not limited to the Muslim community. “The international community must unite immediately, as the elements of global unilateralism are a threat to the coexistence of the world community,” he said.

He mentioned the long borders between Iran and Turkmenistan. Raisi praised the friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries. He said that significant parts of Iranian history, literature, and culture are deeply connected to Central Asian civilization.

The Iranian President said that the presence of Islam in Iran and Central Asia, the spread of Islamic practices, cultural exchange, and linguistic similarities between Iranians and ethnic groups in Central Asia have enriched our shared civilization.