Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is also due to participate. A bilateral meeting between Pezeshkian and Putin may take place on the sidelines of the gathering.

The two-day summit is set to begin on Monday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to join the event, bringing together leaders connected to the regional organisation in the Kyrgyz capital.

Iran joined the SCO in 2023. The country has maintained close military relations with Russia and an energy partnership with China. Iranian and Russian foreign ministers previously met during an SCO foreign ministers' meeting in July.