Ukraine war: Putin visits Iran in rare international trip

Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Iran for only his second foreign trip since he launched the invasion of Ukraine in February.

Mr Putin is holding meetings with Iran's president and supreme leader, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Grain exports, Syria and the Ukraine conflict are on the agenda, reports BBC.

The visit is a chance to deepen ties with Iran, one of Russia's few remaining international allies.

It follows allegations by US officials last week that Tehran was planning to supply Russia with hundreds of drones for its war in Ukraine. On Tuesday, the Russian energy giant Gazprom signed a new development deal worth $40m (£33m) with Iran's state oil company.

Following his meeting with Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, Mr Putin said relations between the two countries were "developing at a good pace".

Mr Putin said the two countries are strengthening ties on areas such as international security, trade and "the settlement of the Syria crisis".

Turkey and Russia have backed opposing sides in the Syrian civil war and have been searching for ways to reduce the violence in recent months.

But the meeting comes amid Turkish threats to launch a fresh offensive in northern Syria against US-backed Kurdish militants, a move which both Iran and Russia oppose. The operation is part of Mr Erdogan's plans to create a 30km (20 mile) safe zone along Turkey's border with Syria.

Last week, the UN Security Council agreed to re-authorise cross-border deliveries of aid to rebel-held Syria for six months after Russia had initially blocked a proposal for a one-year extension.

Turkey has refused to impose sanctions on Moscow since Mr Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, with Mr Erdogan's government seeking to play the role of mediator.

The meeting could offer an opportunity for the Turkish leader to conclude a tentative agreement struck between Russian and Ukrainian leaders to ensure the export of 22 million tonnes of desperately needed grain.

Last week, Turkey's defence minister said both sides had agreed on ways to ensure the safety of shipping routes for grain ships.

Russia's Black Sea fleet is said to be stopping any shipments getting in or out, and the BBC has documented mounting evidence that Moscow's forces have stolen and exported Ukrainian grain. Other routes have been heavily mined.

"The issue of Ukrainian grain shipment will be discussed with Erdogan," Mr Ushakov said. "We are ready to continue work on this track."

But the talks come as local officials and farmers near the front line of the conflict accused Russia of deliberately shelling grain fields.

Oleh Pylypenko, a local politician in southern Ukraine and a former Russian prisoner, told the BBC that farmers in his constituency near the southern city of Mykolaiv were under constant artillery and missile fire.

He said Russian forces had been "shelling the fields, agricultural machinery, and grain sheds" and said that many farmers had "become victims of such attacks and received shrapnel injuries".

"Professional firefighters from the city of Mykolaiv are afraid to go, because it is very dangerous," he added. "Many fires are extinguished by our own efforts. But now the shelling has increased."