Russia’s Shoigu in Iran to signal support, urge restraint against Israel

A top Russian security official and close ally of President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tehran on Monday for talks with the Iranian president and other top officials, as the world awaits with bated breath Iran’s response to the killing of Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital last week.

Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, met with Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as with the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Al-Akbar Ahmadian, and with the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Mohamed Bagheri,  Iran's state news agency IRNA reported on Monday.

Russia has been among the countries that have supported Iran in difficult times, Pezeshkian told Shoigu, adding that "expansion of ties with this strategic partner is among foreign policy priorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran," IRNA said..

Bagheri told Shoigu, “The Islamic Republic welcomes trilateral cooperation between Iran, Russia and China,” IRNA added. Details of all three meetings were scant.