Vladimir Putin has broken the law in Turkmenistan by driving to a summit in a black limousine instead of a regulation white or silver car.

The Russian leader arrived in Ashgabat to meet with Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, for urgent discussions on the growing conflict in the Middle East.

After his bullet-proof stretched Aurus Senat limousine pulled up outside Turkmenistan’s palatial Chamber of Commerce, Putin bounded up a steep flight of steps to met Serdar Berdymukhamedov, the Turkmen president whose father banned black cars because he thought they were unlucky.