Video footage shows Putin sitting awkwardly in wait for Erdogan to arrive for Iran meeting.
It was reported that the Russian president was frightened as he waited about a minute or so for Erdogan to join him while the two leaders sat in Iran. The video of Putin being irritable quickly circulated on social media.
Putin is observed entering the room with speed before stopping before the two chairs are empty. In less than 45 seconds Erdogan finally joined him with the other two. The pair shake hands and took photos.
Erdogan’s delay is reminiscent of the time Putin made the Turkish president stand at the door of his offices in Moscow just for two minutes prior to the 2020 meeting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin walks to greet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before their meeting in the Saadabad palace located in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday 19 July 2022. (Sergei Savostyanov Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo by AP) (Associated Press)
They were set to get together at one of Putin’s scheduled meetings during his visit to Tehran. Another meeting involved Iranian along with Turkish leaders with the intention discussion of issues related to the current conflict that is raging in Syria.
The Russian president’s visit to Iran follows warnings from authorities in the United States that Iran could offer Russia drones to aid in its conflict with Ukraine.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration had information suggesting that the Iranian government was planning to supply Russia with “up to a hundred UAVs that include capable of carrying weapons. UAVs in a short time.”
Sullivan was speaking of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles.
Vladimir Putin’s trip to Iran follows president Biden has visit to Israel as well as Saudi Arabia. Biden was in Saudi Arabia over the weekend and talked about the need to implement missile and defense capacities within the Middle East as a counter to Iranian missiles and drones.
