Russian President Vladimir Putin met Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei in Moscow on Thursday to discuss regional security arrangements and possible ways to end the war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran, as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict intensify.
During the meeting at the Senate Palace in the Kremlin, Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, handed Putin a letter from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported, reports Al Jazeera.
Speaking after the meeting, Rezaei said the discussions focused on post-war regional security arrangements and Russia’s assistance in stopping what he described as American “aggression”.
“Important regional issues were discussed with Putin and significant conversations took place regarding the post-war period and regional security arrangements,” Rezaei said.
He revealed that Khamenei had instructed him to deliver the message as soon as possible. The Moscow visit, initially scheduled nearly a month earlier, had been postponed because of ongoing deliberations over the military situation in the region.
Rezaei did not disclose the contents of the letter. However, Khamenei issued a written statement on Wednesday saying there should not be “even the slightest inclination towards submission” to the United States. He also called for an “ever stronger” Iran to reach a “point of absolute deterrence”.
Energy cooperation and regional diplomacy
The discussions also covered plans to deepen bilateral energy cooperation, particularly through the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran. The project aims to address Iran’s domestic gas shortages while allowing Moscow to export gas to countries neighbouring Iran.
Rezaei also briefed Putin on a meeting held in Tehran in late October involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.
Putin welcomed the initiative, while Rezaei said: “Like our Chinese friends, we believe that there should be regional arrangements and that foreign countries should not interfere in the security of the region.”
Russia’s TASS news agency reported that the talks took place at the Senate Palace, although the Kremlin did not immediately issue its own account of the meeting.
Iran sets seven conditions for negotiations
The high-level meeting comes amid intensified diplomatic efforts led by Qatar to negotiate an end to the war, alongside concerns that Washington could resume attacks after the US midterm elections.
In Tuesday’s vote, US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate amid widespread public anger over rising prices blamed on the war against Iran.
Efforts to resolve the conflict remain centred on the future status of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the US blockade of Iranian ports, Western sanctions against Iran and the resumption of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
However, Rezaei said on Thursday that Iran would neither negotiate with Washington to end the war nor reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States met seven conditions set by Tehran.
“On the issue of diplomacy, we have announced seven conditions to the Americans. As long as they do not execute our seven conditions, we will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor have negotiations,” he said.
Putin, meanwhile, reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to support efforts to end the conflict. According to Russian news agencies, he had similarly told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian last month that Russia was prepared to “do everything” within its power to help bring the war to an end.
Regional consultations and expanding military ties
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held telephone consultations with his counterparts in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Turkiye and Jordan to discuss regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts to promote peace, Iranian state media reported.
Russia and Iran, both facing heavy Western sanctions, have steadily strengthened their diplomatic and military ties.
In January 2025, the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty covering trade, military cooperation, science, culture and education. The agreement formally took effect in October 2025.
Unlike Moscow’s security treaty with North Korea, however, the agreement with Iran does not include a mutual defence clause.
Despite this, military cooperation between the two countries continues to expand.
On Saturday, Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia announced that Tehran had purchased Russian Su-35 fighter jets and expected to receive them after the war ends.
Speaking to Iranian news website Tabnak, Akraminia said pilot training and other necessary preparations had been completed. He added that the aircraft had originally been scheduled to arrive before the fighting began.
