Strong diplomatic momentum between Moscow and Tehran underpins the 97.8% trader consensus on a Putin meeting with Iranian officials by year-end. The two leaders and their foreign ministers have sustained regular contact through bilateral channels and multilateral forums, including a September 1, 2026, Putin-Pezeshkian session on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek and a late-September Lavrov-Araghchi encounter at the UN General Assembly. These exchanges build on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty, shared positions on sanctions and regional security, and consistent high-level coordination amid ongoing Middle East tensions. Such patterns indicate multiple opportunities for further encounters before December 31. Disruptions could still arise from sudden escalations, health developments, or abrupt shifts in summit schedules, though current diplomatic cadence makes those outcomes less probable.