Putin Receives Iran Security Chief at Kremlin
Larijani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, assumed his current role last August. His previous Moscow trip occurred over the summer after US airstrikes targeted Iranian nuclear installations.
"The head of state has received in the Kremlin the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Larijani, who is visiting Russia," the Kremlin announced in a terse statement that revealed no substantive information about the discussions.
Iran's ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, subsequently disclosed that the meeting centered on bilateral ties and entailed "consultations on important regional and international issues."
The diplomatic engagement comes after Washington sanctioned Larijani earlier this month for his purported role in the "violent repression" of anti-government demonstrations that have engulfed Iran since late December.
Tehran has characterized the upheaval—initially sparked by economic frustrations—as a foreign-orchestrated insurrection, claiming external operatives weaponized protesters to trigger brutal state crackdowns and legitimize American military intervention. Putin conducted a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, earlier this month regarding the turmoil.
During the protest peak, US President Donald Trump allegedly approached authorizing retaliatory strikes against Iran. Though he postponed a definitive decision, he deployed a naval "armada" to the region to coerce Tehran into accepting his terms for a revamped nuclear agreement.
American military contingency planning continues. Media accounts citing administration officials indicate Trump is weighing scenarios spanning strikes on Iranian security apparatus and nuclear facilities to assassinating government figures—with the objective of rekindling anti-regime demonstrations.
After Trump's warning of a "far worse" assault than prior attacks, Tehran pledged to "defend itself and respond like never before." As both nations schedule military exercises regionally, alerts against provocation and strategic miscalculation intensify.
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