Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran, are always good friends.

Iran has supported the invasion of Ukraine by Putin, with its Supreme Leader declaring that the West opposes an "independent and strong" Russia.

Khamenei said that Russia would have been attacked by NATO if it had not sent soldiers into Ukraine, echoing Vladimir Putin's justification for the war.

His statement underscored the growing connections between Moscow and Tehran in the face of severe Western sanctions against both nations.

Putin met with Iranian and Turkish leaders to discuss Syria and a UN-backed plan to export Ukrainian grain.

The trip was his second since Russian forces invaded Ukraine earlier this year. After the grain deal was "moved forward," Putin praised Erdogan for his support.

Turkey, a NATO member, has previously confronted Russia in Syria and Libya and has also sold powerful drones to Ukrainian soldiers without imposing penalties.

Putin stated, "Not all difficulties have been handled, but it's encouraging that progress has been made."

Erdogan hailed what he termed Russia's "very, very positive approach" during last week's grain negotiations in Istanbul, adding that he believed a deal would "benefit the entire globe."

Putin's trip to Tehran also had symbolic significance, highlighting Russia's worldwide presence even as it became increasingly isolated and at odds with the West.

It also occurred just days after U.S. President Joe Biden visited Iran's key adversaries, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Israel and Arab countries have grown increasingly concerned about the perceived retreat of America from their region, which has prompted Biden to call for a counter-offensive from Jerusalem and Jeddah.

The nations of the world have resolved to work together to fight Iran's nuclear program, which is quickly progressing. Efforts to reach an agreement with Iran have failed.

The Iranian regime has increased uranium enrichment while suppressing criticism and garnering optimistic news coverage.

Without the prospect of sanctions relief, Iran's tactical alliance with Russia has become one of survival.

"Iran is the epicenter of active diplomacy," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian tweeted, adding that the meetings would "promote economic cooperation, focus on regional security... and guarantee food security."

The United States asserts that Russian officials have lately visited an Iranian airfield at least twice to view Tehran's armed drones.

Putin stated that the two nations had worked to "strengthen their cooperation on world security" and promised Tehran his assistance over the stalled nuclear agreement.