Putin meets Iran's security chief Rezaei in Moscow, receives letter from Khamenei

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in Moscow on Thursday. The meeting came as diplomatic efforts gather pace to end the war that the United States and Israel are waging on Iran. According to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, Rezaei also handed Putin a letter from Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The contents were not disclosed.

What was discussed

Rezaei said the talks covered regional security, arrangements for the post-war period, and Russian support for ending what he called US "aggression" against Iran. They also discussed deepening energy cooperation, including gas pipelines from Russia to Iran. These would address Iran's gas shortages and let Russia sell gas to Iran's neighbours.

He said Putin repeated that Russia is ready to help end the war. Rezaei also briefed Putin on a late-October meeting in Tehran of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan, which the Russian leader welcomed. The trip had been planned almost a month earlier but was postponed because of daily discussions about the military situation in the region.

Iran's conditions

Rezaei stressed that Iran will neither reopen the Strait of Hormuz nor negotiate with the US until Washington meets Tehran's seven conditions. Efforts to end the conflict have centred on the strait's status, a US blockade of Iranian ports, sanctions, and resuming talks on Iran's nuclear programme. Qatar is stepping up diplomacy amid fears the US could renew attacks after its midterm elections. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump's Republican Party lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, amid anger over rising prices that many blame on the war.

The Kremlin did not immediately publish its own account of the meeting. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held phone calls with counterparts in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Turkiye and Jordan.

Russia–Iran ties

Both countries are under heavy Western sanctions. In January 2025 they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, which took effect that October. Unlike Russia's pact with North Korea, it contains no mutual defence clause. On Saturday, Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said Iran had bought Russian Su-35 fighter jets and expects to receive them after the war ends.