Iran's top security official met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday, delivering a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as diplomacy to end the US–Israeli war on Iran gathers pace.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the talks — which lasted about three hours, according to his deputy — covered "important regional issues" and "significant conversations" about the post-war period and regional security arrangements. The Kremlin said on Friday that the two sides had also discussed developing their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.
Context: The war began on 28 February, when the United States and Israel launched military attacks against Iran and Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. Peace efforts have since focused on the future of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a US blockade on Iranian ports, sanctions on Iran, and a resumption of negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme.
What was discussed in Moscow
Rezaei handed Mr Putin a letter from Mr Khamenei during the meeting at the Senate Palace in the Kremlin, according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV. The Kremlin confirmed the meeting had taken place and said in a statement on Friday that it was aimed at the "further development of bilateral cooperation".
Energy was high on the agenda. Rezaei said the discussion covered building a gas pipeline from Russia to Iran, aimed at addressing Iran's gas shortages and enabling Russia to sell its gas to Iran's neighbouring countries. His deputy, Ali Bagheri, added that the pipeline and the International North–South Transport Corridor could strengthen economic cooperation and reduce Washington's ability to pressure Tehran.
"Important regional issues were discussed with Mr Putin, and significant conversations took place regarding the post-war period and regional security arrangements."
— Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, after the Kremlin meeting
The visit came a day after Mr Khamenei issued a written statement saying there should not be "even the slightest inclination towards submission" to the United States — a signal that Tehran intends to negotiate from a position of defiance, not concession.
Seven conditions — and a closed strait
Rezaei was blunt about the terms on which Iran would return to talks with Washington. "On the issue of diplomacy, we have announced seven conditions to the Americans," he said. "As long as they do not execute our seven conditions, we will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor have negotiations."
Tehran has demanded the lifting of US sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets and war reparations, among other conditions, while Washington has said nuclear issues must be part of any initial negotiations. The full list of seven conditions has not been published.
Mr Bagheri, the deputy secretary of the security council, said on Friday that Iran would no longer rely solely on written commitments from the US and expected concrete actions before entering a new phase of diplomacy, because Washington had repeatedly disrupted negotiations by violating its commitments over the past 18 months. "Iran must see practical actions by the US with its own eyes," he said, according to IRNA.
A relationship deepening under war
On Friday, the Financial Times reported, citing documents from a major Russian defence manufacturer, that Russia agreed a deal in 2024 to supply Iran with 90 advanced missile launchers. The launchers are designed to carry Russia's light multipurpose guided missile, known as the LMUR or Izdeliye 305, a precision weapon built for Mi-28 attack helicopters, which Iran already possesses. Al Jazeera, which reported the Financial Times findings, said it was not able to confirm whether the order had been delivered.
The two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in January 2025, covering trade, military cooperation, science, culture and education. The treaty took effect in October, but unlike Russia's pact with North Korea, it does not include a mutual defence clause. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Mr Putin in late October.
Unconfirmed: The Telegraph reported on Friday that Russia and Iran are in direct talks over the transfer of S-400 air-defence systems to Tehran, and that Rezaei delivered the request to Mr Putin during the Kremlin meeting. Neither Moscow nor Tehran has confirmed the report. The contents of Mr Khamenei's letter to Mr Putin have also not been disclosed.
The wider diplomatic push
The Moscow meeting was one strand of a busy week of diplomacy. On Friday, Iraq proposed forming a committee of regional foreign ministers to visit Tehran and Washington in search of peaceful solutions, during a phone call between Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, according to Iraq's Foreign Ministry.
Mr Araghchi presented Tehran's vision for resuming negotiations with Washington, including a timetable for launching talks, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, revisiting points agreed during previous understandings reached in Pakistan, and additional provisions concerning Iran's nuclear programme. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Mr Araghchi also spoke on Friday — their second call since Tuesday — about containing regional tensions, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke by phone with President Donald Trump about Qatar's mediation efforts.
Iran has also sent the United States a nuclear proposal via Qatar, to be discussed only after Washington meets Tehran's seven demands, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the US was reviewing the proposal but declined to provide further details.
Mr Trump met his security advisers on Iran on Thursday for the first time since the midterm elections and said a decision was coming "soon". He warned this week that Iran could face destruction and said the world would know "soon enough" about his next move, after declining on Tuesday to rule out a resumption of combat operations.
Timeline: how the war and the diplomacy got here
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 28 February 2026 | The United States and Israel launch military attacks against Iran; Tehran retaliates with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases. |
| October 2026 | The Russia–Iran comprehensive strategic partnership treaty takes effect; President Pezeshkian meets Mr Putin. |
| 5 November 2026 | Rezaei meets Mr Putin at the Kremlin for about three hours and delivers Mr Khamenei's message. |
| 6 November 2026 | The Kremlin confirms the talks; the Financial Times reports the 2024 missile-launcher deal; Iraq proposes a regional foreign ministers' mission. |
Frequently asked questions
What are Iran's seven conditions?
The full list has not been published. Known elements include the lifting of US sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, war reparations and permission to export oil. Until the conditions are met, Mr Rezaei said, Iran will neither reopen the Strait of Hormuz nor negotiate.
What happens next?
All eyes are on Washington: Mr Trump has said a decision on Iran is coming soon. Iraq's proposed foreign ministers' mission, the nuclear proposal sent via Qatar and the timetable Tehran outlined for resuming talks are the three diplomatic tracks to watch.
Key takeaways
- Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on 5 November and delivered a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei; the talks lasted about three hours.
- Tehran set seven conditions for returning to talks with the US, and says the Strait of Hormuz will stay shut until they are met.
- A gas pipeline from Russia to Iran and the North–South Transport Corridor were discussed as ways to deepen economic ties and blunt US pressure.
- The Financial Times reported a 2024 Russian deal to supply Iran with 90 advanced missile launchers; delivery has not been confirmed.
- Diplomacy is accelerating on several tracks at once — Iraq's mediation proposal, a nuclear proposal sent via Qatar, and a decision expected soon from Mr Trump.
The test now is whether any of these tracks produces movement. Tehran wants to see American actions, not words; Washington says nuclear issues must be on the table from the start. The next signal is likely to come from Washington — where Mr Trump has promised a decision soon — or from Baghdad, where Iraq's proposed mission of regional foreign ministers awaits a response.
