Country: Russia
Iran Is Named in 14 of the 23 Readout Items on Russia since Sept. 16
Iran comes up alongside Russia more often than any other country: in 14 items, against 10 for the United States. The pairing peaked at 4 items in the weeks of Sept. 29 to Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 to 12.
MEF's Daily Readout picks 5 stories a day on Middle East policy from each foreign press it monitors, in English. Here is every pick about Russia since Sept. 16, and the countries the press names with it.
Each block is one item.
- Iran named: 14
- Iran not named: 9
- Latest week, to date
Chart: Middle East Forum, from 23 Readout items. The first bar covers 6 days (Sept. 16 to 21), so its bar is drawn 6/7 as wide as a full week.
Named alongside Russia
Latest
- Oct. 19Lavrov arrived in Tehran on an official visit
- Oct. 16Putin announces the creation of a border security zone inside Ukraine and refuses to negotiate over it
- Oct. 16Russian foreign minister will travel to Tehran
- Oct. 14America proposes lifting the freeze on Russian assets to push talks to end the war in Ukraine
- Oct. 12Foreign Ministry spokesman on speculation about Russia's mediation in talks: "Technically and in the precise sense, Pakistan and Qatar still act as mediators"
- Oct. 10Putin conveyed Iran's proposed solution to Trump
- Oct. 9"No red lines" in the future response: Iran weighs a U.S. return to war
Updated October 19, 2026, 12:19 p.m. ET. Sources and cut-off dates
In the Region's Press
- Arabic 8
- Persian 8
- Turkish 4
- Other 3
Chart: Middle East Forum, from 23 Readout items; Other: Azerbaijani 1, Hebrew 1, Russian 1.
Week of Oct. 13 to 19
Lavrov arrived in Tehran on an official visit
Mehr carried this report.
Also: Iran
Putin announces the creation of a border security zone inside Ukraine and refuses to negotiate over it
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) reported President Putin announced creation of a 660 km deep border security zone inside Ukraine and refused to negotiate over it.
Russian foreign minister will travel to Tehran
Mizan reported the Russian Foreign Ministry announced its foreign minister will travel to Tehran to meet with Iran's foreign minister.
Also: Iran
America proposes lifting the freeze on Russian assets to push talks to end the war in Ukraine
Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Washington proposed lifting the freeze on some Russian sovereign assets to revive talks to end the Ukraine war.
Also: United States
Latest MEF Analysis
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Week of Oct. 6 to 12
Foreign Ministry spokesman on speculation about Russia's mediation in talks: "Technically and in the precise sense, Pakistan and Qatar still act as mediators" / "Our consultations with Moscow on various issues including nuclear are not new"
Entekhab reported that the Foreign Ministry spokesman said Pakistan and Qatar continue to serve in a mediation role for talks between Tehran and Washington.
Also: Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, United States
Putin conveyed Iran's proposed solution to Trump
Haberturk reported Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov said President Putin conveyed Iran's proposed solution to US President Donald Trump.
Also: Iran, United States
"No red lines" in the future response: Iran weighs a U.S. return to war
Al-Akhbar framed Iran as preparing for renewed conflict with the United States and Israel while keeping diplomatic channels open and coordinating more with Moscow.
Also: Iran, Israel, United States
Iran's diplomacy in Avaza; from the 'CIS' summit of leaders to consultations with Putin
IRNA reported President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the CIS leaders' summit in Turkmenistan as a special guest and plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Also: Iran
Week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 5
Half of Russia's energy refineries out of service
Al-Bayan reported that recent strikes have taken 51% of Russia's oil refining capacity out of service, citing the defense ministry.
New accounts of Iranian uranium
Etemad reported that Vladimir Putin said Russia proposed transferring Iran's enriched uranium stocks to Moscow and mentioned the name "Ali Larijani" in his account.
Also: Iran
US sanctions Iran's shadow banking network
Anadolu reported that the US Treasury sanctioned A7, a "Russia-linked" informal banking network Iran reportedly uses to bypass sanctions, under the "Economic Exclusion Operation".
Also: Iran, United States
Moscow threatens NATO with the nuclear option to protect Kaliningrad and warns of a direct conflict
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) reported that Russia warned NATO it could use nuclear options to protect Kaliningrad and cautioned such moves risk direct armed conflict.
Russia: We are discussing the removal of S-400s from Turkey
Diken reported that Russia said contacts with Ankara are ongoing to discuss redeploying the S-400 air defence systems from Turkey to another country.
Also: Turkey
America sanctioned 3 Iranian and Russian companies due to links with Tehran's weapons programs
Iran International reported the U.S. State Department sanctioned 3 companies, 1 Iranian and 2 Russian, for links to Tehran's weapons programs.
Also: Iran, United States
Kremlin: Russia wants Iran to remain in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
BBC Persian quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov saying Russia wants Iran to remain a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Also: Iran
Week of Sept. 22 to 28
Putin expands the size of the Russian army and explosions shake the Ukrainian capital Kyiv
Al-Quds reported that Vladimir Putin issued a decree expanding Russia's armed forces to 1.55 million troops and that explosions shook Kyiv.
Lavrov's statement on the S-400
Yeni Safak reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Turkey's S-400 systems could be moved to another country, subject to Russian approval and 'friendly relations'.
Also: Turkey
Washington proposes hosting a trilateral meeting in the UAE with Moscow and Kyiv
Al-Bayan reported that Washington proposed hosting a trilateral experts meeting in the UAE including representatives from Moscow and Kyiv and suggested the emirates as venue.
Meeting between Lavrov and Araghchi / Moscow: Both sides emphasized that there is no alternative to a diplomatic resolution of the crisis caused by the actions of the United States and the Zionist regime
Entekhab reported that Lavrov and Araghchi, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the crisis must be resolved diplomatically.
Also: Iran, Israel, United States
Lavrov and Araghchi: the diplomatic solution is the only way to end Iran's war
Asharq Al-Awsat reported Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Iranian Deputy Araghchi agreed a diplomatic settlement is the only way to end Middle East tensions.
Also: Iran
Lavrov discusses attacks on Russia's and Iran's nuclear facilities with IAEA Director General
Kommersant reported that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on the UN General Assembly sidelines to discuss attacks on Russian and Iranian nuclear facilities.
Also: Iran
Zelensky called for increased pressure on Russia, US discusses limited ceasefire
Turan reported that at the UN General Assembly Washington is exploring an agreement to cease strikes on energy and grain facilities while Moscow has not given open consent.
Also: United States
Week of Sept. 16 to 21
Russia and China veto: the UN will not extend oversight of sanctions on Iran
Davar reported that Russia and China vetoed a US proposal, blocking a one-year extension of the expert team that monitors sanctions implementation on Iran.
Also: Iran, United States