Putin receives Iran’s security chief in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei in Moscow on Thursday to discuss strengthening ties between their nations, including the possibility of importing Russian gas. Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, described the meeting as "an extremely important exchange," according to the Iranian embassy's report.

The two leaders discussed the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran, with the goal of addressing Iran's gas shortages while allowing Russian gas to be sold to neighboring countries. Iran is a major gas producer but has faced shortages due to the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel that began in February. During the peak of the fighting, which lasted nearly 40 days, both countries targeted key Iranian infrastructure, including natural gas refineries.

Russia and Iran, both heavily sanctioned states, have grown closer since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In early October, Putin expressed Russia's willingness to mediate in the ongoing Middle East conflict, emphasizing the need for regional security mechanisms and the inadmissibility of external interference in resolving the situation.