MOSCOW, November 6 (Aalimi Nation) – Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday and delivered a message from Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iranian officials. The Putin Rezaei meeting comes as diplomacy over the war between Iran and the United States continues, and the contents of the message have not been disclosed.
What is known about the meeting
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed that the talks took place. Iranian state media said Rezaei handed over the message in person. Photographs from the meeting showed Putin with his foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, and the head of Russia's military intelligence service, Igor Kostyukov. The Kremlin has not issued a detailed account of the discussion, so most of what is known comes from the Iranian side.
Rezaei said the supreme leader wanted the message delivered "as soon as possible." He said the talks covered regional developments, in particular security arrangements for the period after the war, which he described as a key issue. He added that Putin repeated Russia's readiness to help end the war, and that the two sides discussed plans for a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Iran, as Iran faces a gas shortage. Rezaei also briefed Putin on a recent meeting in Tehran of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan, which he said Putin welcomed.
According to Rezaei, Putin backed regional security mechanisms without the involvement of outside powers, a position he said matches that of China. The Russian side has not confirmed that characterisation.
Iran's stated position
The visit was planned about a month ago but was postponed because of military developments, Rezaei said. Hours before the meeting, Khamenei said in a written statement that there should be no submission to the United States and called on Iran to reach what he termed "absolute deterrence."
Rezaei said Iran will not hold talks with the United States on ending the war or reopening the Strait of Hormuz until Washington meets Iran's seven conditions. Negotiations are centred on the strait, a US blockade of Iranian ports, sanctions and Iran's nuclear programme.
Background
Putin and Rezaei spoke by telephone earlier this week. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Moscow on October 27, and Araghchi met Putin in St Petersburg in April. Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership treaty in January 2025, which took effect in October that year and does not contain a mutual defence clause.
The meeting took place after Republicans lost control of both chambers of the US Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, amid public anger over rising prices that many voters link to the war. There are concerns that Washington could resume attacks after the vote. US President Donald Trump has said he has not decided whether to authorise further strikes, but that Tehran is interested in an agreement.
It remains unclear whether the Khamenei message contains a proposal for mediation or any other request. Neither Moscow nor Tehran has said whether further contacts are scheduled.
