SICKLY Vladimir Putin hobbled along the red carpet with his arm hanging limp by his side as he arrived in Iran today.

Footage of the Russian leader's arrival showed him shuffling down the steps of his jet as he landed in Tehran to meet with fellow global terror master Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

With his right arm limp by his side, Putin, 69, was seen hobbling down a long red carpet rolled out for the dictator at the capital's Mehrabad airport.

The Russian president is right-handed – but there's speculation he's ambidextrous as he wears his watch on his right hand.

He briefly waved to the gathered crowds before being whisked into his presidential convoy to the city.

Putin – who is rumoured to have Parkinson's or terminal cancer – and hardline Islamist tyrant Khamenei are set to discuss war plans and weapon exchanges in their coordinated campaign against the West.

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It's Putin’s first trip outside the boundaries of the former Soviet Union since the invasion of Ukraine in February.

Khamenei – sworn enemy of the US, UK and Israel – is one of only a handful of world leaders still willing to do business with blood-soaked outcast Putin.

Turkey’s strongman president Recep Tayyip Erdogan – blasted over human rights abuses and strained relations with NATO allies – was also expected to join the pair for talks.

The Russian leader has described Western sanctions as a declaration of economic war – and is also attempting to build bridges with China and India.

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Yuri Ushakov, Mr Putin's foreign policy adviser said: "The contact with Khamenei is very important.

"On most issues, our positions are close or identical."

An Iranian official said: "We need a strong ally, and Moscow is a superpower."

The summit comes days after US President Joe Biden visited the Middle East for the first time in his presidency, with stops in Iran's regional foes Israel and Saudi Arabia.

In recent weeks, Russian officials visited an airfield in central Iran at least twice to review Tehran's weapons-capable drones for possible use in Ukraine, the White House has alleged.

Putin's jaded appearance as he landed in Iran comes after he struggled to keep his eyes open during a crunch meeting with his defence minister earlier this month.

The Russian president, rumoured to be undergoing debilitating cancer treatment, was seen slumped over and bleary-eyed in the footage.

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Rumours of Putin's ill health have continued to swirl after the leader was spotted looking unwell at public gatherings and was pictured with a thyroid cancer doctor.

It's even been claimed that Putin could already be using tricks such as pre-recorded appearances and body doubles to stage manage his health.

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