ST. PETERSBURG, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi here Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation and the situation in the Middle East.

Before he arrived in St. Petersburg earlier in the day, Araghchi had said that discussions with the Russian side would include regional developments around the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

Attending the meeting were Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, and Igor Kostyukov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Representatives on the Iranian side included Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali.

During the talks, Putin said Moscow intends to continue developing strategic relations with Iran, is willing to make efforts to help secure peace in the Middle East at an early date, and hopes that the Iranian people will pass through the current period of trials and that peace will come, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported.

"We will do everything that meets your interests and the interests of all the peoples of the region to achieve this peace as quickly as possible," Putin was quoted as saying.

Putin also said he has received a message from Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

"At the beginning of the conversation, I would like to note that last week I received a message from the Supreme Leader of Iran," Putin said. ■