Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Iran Tuesday to meet the leaders of Iran and Turkey. It was Putin’s first trip to a country outside the former Soviet Union since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei backed Russia’s actions in Ukraine. He told Putin, “if you had not taken the helm, the other side would have done so and initiated a war.” Russia and Iran also discussed a proposed $40 billion deal for Russia to help develop gas and oil fields in Iran.