Iran's security council secretary Rezaei talks with Putin, first by phone then in Moscow

Centre · 1On 2 November, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed regional and international developments by telephone. 1 Centre · 1According to IRIB, the call focused particularly on West Asia, and both sides stressed continuing strategic cooperation under the roadmap set by the two countries' leaders. 1 Centre · 1In the call, Rezaei thanked Putin and other Russian officials for remarks praising Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and for their support of the Iranian people's resilience; IRIB gave no further detail on the issues discussed. 1

Centre · 1On 5 November, Rezaei met Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow and delivered a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, IRIB reported; Rezaei also serves as the supreme leader's representative. 2 Centre · 1The contents of the message were not disclosed, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the talks without giving details. 2 Mixed · 2Kremlin images showed presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and Igor Kostyukov, head of the GRU military intelligence agency, attending the meeting alongside Putin. 3 4

Mixed · 2Reuters reported that, after the meeting, Rezaei said "important regional issues were discussed" and that there were "significant conversations" on the post-war period and regional security arrangements, referring to the war between Iran and the US. 5 6 Right · 1Rezaei also said the talks covered building a gas pipeline from Russia to Iran, to ease Iran's gas shortages and let Russia sell gas to Iran's neighbours. 5 Right · 1Rezaei said Iran had told Putin it had announced seven conditions to the Americans and that, until they are met, Iran will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor hold negotiations. 5

Left · 1Al Jazeera added that Rezaei said the Moscow trip had been planned nearly a month earlier but was postponed because of "daily discussions about the military situation in the region", and that Khamenei wanted the message delivered as soon as possible. 7 Left · 1According to Rezaei, Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to support an end to the war, and welcomed a briefing on a late-October meeting in Tehran among Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan; Rezaei said that, like China, Iran believes foreign countries should not interfere in regional security. 7 Mixed · 2The meeting came after Iranian negotiators met mediators on proposals to end hostilities with the US; a senior Iranian official said this week the two sides remain far apart, and Mojtaba Khamenei wrote on Wednesday that there should be no "slightest inclination towards submission" to the US. 6 5

Centre · 1Peace efforts have centred on the future status of the Strait of Hormuz, a US blockade of Iranian ports, sanctions and a resumption of nuclear talks. 6 Left · 1Al Jazeera linked the meeting to Qatar's stepped-up diplomacy and fears the US could renew attacks after Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Donald Trump's Republican Party lost control of both the House and the Senate. It said the Kremlin had not immediately released its own account, and that the meeting took place in the Senate Palace, according to TASS. 7 Left · 1Al Jazeera noted that Russia and Iran signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in January 2025, which took effect that October and, unlike Russia's pact with North Korea, has no mutual defence clause; an Iranian army spokesman said on Saturday Iran had bought Russian Su-35 jets expected after the war ends. 7

Right · 1The Jerusalem Post, citing Russian and Iranian media and Reuters, said the talks reportedly focused on the Middle East as Moscow and Tehran sought to maintain strategic cooperation amid heightened regional tensions. 8 Right · 1Interfax, citing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, reported that Moscow urged Russians to avoid travel to Iran because fighting could resume; earlier in the week Zakharova had voiced concern over signs that new military action against Iran was being planned, and said Moscow backed mediation. 8 Right · 1Zakharova said at a briefing that, given the remaining risks of a new escalation around Iran, Russia's recommendations to its citizens on travel there were unchanged. 4

Right · 1The Jerusalem Post also reported that Turkey said a soldier was killed by cross-border fire from Iran, with Ankara and Tehran investigating, and that Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev dismissed reports of Russian tankers bound for the United States changing course as "fake news". 8