diff --git a/litellm/compression/compress.py b/litellm/compression/compress.py
index 604e216a832..4c4ce74fbbd 100644
--- a/litellm/compression/compress.py
+++ b/litellm/compression/compress.py
@@ -48,24 +48,28 @@ def _content_to_text(content: Any) -> str:
 
     Text extraction policy:
     - Include text-bearing fields only (`text` blocks + string values).
-    - For `tool_result`, recurse into nested `content`.
+    - For `tool_result`, expand into nested `content` items.
     - Ignore non-textual blocks (images/documents/tool metadata/thinking metadata).
+
+    Implemented iteratively (stack-based) to avoid unbounded recursion.
     """
-    if isinstance(content, str):
-        return content
-    if isinstance(content, list):
-        parts: List[str] = []
-        for part in content:
-            if isinstance(part, dict):
-                part_type = part.get("type")
-                if part_type == "text":
-                    parts.append(str(part.get("text", "")))
-                elif part_type == "tool_result":
-                    parts.append(_content_to_text(part.get("content", "")))
-            elif isinstance(part, str):
-                parts.append(part)
-        return " ".join(parts)
-    return ""
+    parts: List[str] = []
+    stack: List[Any] = [content]
+    while stack:
+        item = stack.pop()
+        if isinstance(item, str):
+            parts.append(item)
+        elif isinstance(item, list):
+            # Push list items in reverse order so they are processed left-to-right.
+            for element in reversed(item):
+                stack.append(element)
+        elif isinstance(item, dict):
+            item_type = item.get("type")
+            if item_type == "text":
+                parts.append(str(item.get("text", "")))
+            elif item_type == "tool_result":
+                stack.append(item.get("content", ""))
+    return " ".join(parts)
 
 
 def _normalize_messages_for_compression(
diff --git a/litellm/integrations/compression_interception/handler.py b/litellm/integrations/compression_interception/handler.py
index af55a084c9f..8d211a77129 100644
--- a/litellm/integrations/compression_interception/handler.py
+++ b/litellm/integrations/compression_interception/handler.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import time
 import uuid
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, cast
 
-import litellm
 from litellm._logging import verbose_logger
+from litellm.compression import compress
 from litellm.integrations.custom_logger import CustomLogger
 from litellm.types.integrations.compression_interception import (
     CompressionInterceptionConfig,
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class CompressionInterceptionLogger(CustomLogger):
 
         self._prune_expired_cache()
 
-        compressed = litellm.compress(
+        compressed = compress(
             messages=messages,
             model=model,
             input_type="anthropic_messages",
diff --git a/litellm/types/compression.py b/litellm/types/compression.py
index cc6e53819be..7b14db70942 100644
--- a/litellm/types/compression.py
+++ b/litellm/types/compression.py
@@ -2,7 +2,14 @@
 Type definitions for litellm.compress().
 """
 
-from typing import Dict, List, Literal, NotRequired, TypedDict
+import sys
+
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 11):
+    from typing import Dict, List, Literal, NotRequired, TypedDict
+else:
+    from typing import Dict, List, Literal, TypedDict
+
+    from typing_extensions import NotRequired
 
 CompressionInputType = Literal["anthropic_messages", "openai_chat_completions"]