IRIA News

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Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on November 5, 2026, delivering a personal message from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iranian state media.

The meeting was also attended by senior Russian officials responsible for foreign policy and military intelligence, although neither Moscow nor Tehran has provided a detailed account of the discussions.

Rezaei attended as a representative of the Supreme Leader and head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. His visit comes amid heightened regional tensions and reports of discussions between Tehran and Moscow over the future of the conflict and Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz.

Photographs released following the meeting showed Putin sitting with Rezaei and two senior Russian officials: presidential foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov and Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s military intelligence service.

The presence of both officials brought diplomatic and security expertise into the meeting, although the Kremlin has not explained their specific roles or identified the subjects discussed.

Ushakov regularly advises Putin on international affairs and participates in high-level diplomatic meetings. Kostyukov’s attendance is particularly notable because he leads Russia’s military intelligence service. However, his participation alone does not establish that military cooperation or intelligence matters were discussed.

According to Iranian state media, Rezaei delivered a message from Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei to the Russian president. No details have been released about its contents, and the available Russian account confirms the meeting without providing further information about the communication.

Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s Seven Conditions

The meeting also comes as Iran maintains a firm position on the Strait of Hormuz, linking its reopening to the acceptance and implementation of seven conditions presented to the United States.

Rezaei has maintained that Iran will not resume negotiations or restore normal maritime traffic through the strategic waterway until its demands are met.

According to an Iranian source cited by Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen television channel, the issue of ending the war was a central subject of Rezaei’s discussions with Putin. The source said Rezaei made clear that Iran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz before all seven conditions were fulfilled and would not negotiate over that position.

Iran’s demands include an end to hostilities across the region, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and compensation for war damages, an end to the U.S. naval blockade, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region, and guarantees against future attacks.

Rezaei presented these demands as prerequisites for a broader settlement and reiterated Iran’s opposition to the U.S. blockade and said Iran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or resume negotiations until its seven conditions were fulfilled.

However, neither the Kremlin nor Iranian officials have confirmed whether the seven conditions were formally discussed during the Moscow meeting. The account has not been independently corroborated.

Discussions on Energy Cooperation

Separate reports indicated that the meeting also addressed a proposed gas pipeline connecting Iran and Russia. According to the reports, Rezaei discussed the possibility of developing the pipeline with Putin. No further details were provided about its proposed route, capacity, financing, construction schedule, or the extent of any agreement between the two countries.

If pursued, the project would add an energy dimension to the broader relationship between Moscow and Tehran. However, neither government has publicly confirmed an agreement or announced concrete steps toward implementing the proposal.

The November 5 meeting followed a telephone conversation between Putin and Rezaei on November 2. According to Iranian state media, the two officials discussed regional and international developments, with particular attention to the situation in West Asia. The successive contacts indicate continued communication between the two governments as diplomatic efforts and regional tensions remain ongoing.

Russia and Iran have expanded their political, economic, and security cooperation in recent years. Their relationship has become increasingly important as both countries face pressure from Western governments and seek to strengthen coordination on regional and international issues.

Maintaining direct communication with Moscow provides an additional diplomatic channel for Iran during discussions over the conflict and the future of the Strait of Hormuz. Russia sees this engagement as an opportunity to remain involved in developments affecting the Middle East and its wider security environment.

Despite the significance of the meeting, its immediate outcome remains unclear. The contents of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s message have not been disclosed, and there has been no official announcement of new agreements on the conflict, security cooperation, or the proposed gas pipeline. Neither government has confirmed whether further meetings between the two sides are planned.