ASTANA, July 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is confident that friendly relations between Moscow and Tehran will strengthen regardless of the outcome of the presidential election in Iran.

"Iranian-Russian ties are indeed friendly and constructive. I am sure that our relations will grow stronger regardless of election results in your country," the Russian leader told acting Iranian President Mohammad Mokhber at a meeting in Astana.

Putin wished "the Iranian people a successful run-off as well."

The snap presidential election held in Iran on June 28 following the death of previous leader Ebrahim Raisi in a plane crash in May did not produce an absolute winner. There will now be a second round, pitting Masoud Pezeshkian (42.5%), a moderate reformist and former health minister, and Saeed Jalili (38.6%), who in the past was one of the main negotiators on the Iranian nuclear program, against each other. The vote is slated for July 5. Iran has only once before held a presidential runoff election, in 2005.