Awaza:Moscow Russia has expressed support for President Masoud Pezeshkian's proposal to create a cooperation framework between Iran and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). A Russian deputy foreign minister stated that Moscow is prepared to discuss this initiative with other member countries.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Alexander Pankin conveyed to Russia's TASS news agency that the proposal had received a favorable response not only in Moscow but also in other CIS capitals and among experts.

President Pezeshkian is noted as the first Iranian president to be invited to a CIS Council of Heads of State summit since the bloc's formation. The summit took place on October 9, 2026, in Turkmenistan. Pankin emphasized that Russia was one of the initial supporters of the initiative and welcomed Iran's involvement in the summit.

He mentioned the significant potential for cooperation between Iran and CIS members, although he stated it is premature to discuss expanding the bloc's membership. The suggested CIS+1 format presents a chance to fortify connections with other nations.

The summit in Awaza, Turkmenistan, where the proposal was introduced, also saw heads of state sign 15 cooperation documents, focusing on regional security and reinforced relationships.

The CIS was formed in 1991 after the Soviet Union's breakup. A new cooperation framework, CIS Plus, was approved by the leaders at an October 2025 summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.