Per Iran International's report, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsin Rezaei met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an undisclosed Moscow visit and delivered a message from Islamic Revolution Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Muctaba Khamenei. The meeting coincided with press coverage of new arms supplies from Russia to Iran.
Russian news agency Interfax reported on Thursday (Aban 14) that Rezaei and Putin met at the Kremlin. According to reporting in Iranian media, Rezaei conveyed Supreme Leader Khamenei's message to Putin at this meeting; the content of the message and details of the bilateral discussion were not disclosed. Reuters, citing the Kremlin, confirmed the meeting and reported that images showed Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov and Russian military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov among the Russian delegation.
Per Ettela'at's report, Rezaei told journalists in Moscow that the visit had been planned a month earlier but was delayed due to military developments in the region, and that the Supreme Leader had asked him to deliver the message to Putin "as soon as possible." Rezaei stated that Putin had also asked him to convey "very warm and friendly" greetings to the Supreme Leader. According to Rezaei, the meeting discussed regional issues and post-war security arrangements; he said he had briefed Putin on the four-party meeting held in Tehran involving Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and that Putin welcomed this gathering, stating that "as with our Chinese friends," regional security arrangements should be built without interference from outside powers. Rezaei also announced that the implementation agreement for the Rasht-Astara railway project had been approved by the Supreme National Security Council and would be signed shortly by the Roads and Urbanization Minister.
Rezaei's trip took place three days after a phone call between himself and Putin. The Supreme National Security Council stated in a November 11 announcement that the parties had discussed regional and global developments during this call, particularly the situation in West Asia, and had agreed to continue strategic cooperation based on a road map established by the two countries' leaders.
In a May meeting, Araghchi asked Putin to convey wishes for health and well-being to the Supreme Leader, emphasizing Moscow's intent to maintain strategic relations with Tehran; Araghchi's visit to Saint Petersburg was part of his meetings in Pakistan and Oman and efforts to end the war. The full content, date and identity of the messenger for the message discussed in that call had not been disclosed at the time.
Context
Since taking office in March 2026 (Esfand 1404), Supreme Leader Khamenei has rarely appeared in public; officials attribute this to security requirements (details). The message Rezaei conveyed represents the second known message the Supreme Leader has sent to Putin; the first emerged when Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Putin in Saint Petersburg in May. The meeting coincided with Financial Times reporting on Russia's agreement to supply Iran with 90 helicopter-launched guided rocket launchers; Financial Times noted that examined documents did not prove final delivery of the launchers and that this report did not mean a new agreement was signed during Rezaei's visit (details). Rezaei's reference to the Tehran four-party meeting (Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey) indicates that his Moscow visit was not merely bilateral message delivery but part of a broader coordination effort on regional security architecture; in this framework, Turkey's inclusion in regional arrangements is being highlighted.
