NOVEMBER PROTESTOSCOPE / The elder of the DP follows every gathering of people, Rama receives news from the government

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Russian-Iranian alliance: Khamenei, "secret" message to Putin with his envoy

2026-11-06 18:18:21Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Russian-Iranian alliance: Khamenei, "secret" message to Putin with his

The head of Iran's Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, went to Moscow to convey a personal message from Ayatollah Khamenei and to discuss the construction of a pipeline to import Russian gas.

Iran's top security official described the meeting as an "extremely important exchange of views" which covered "the post-war situation and regional security".

Russia has been an early supporter of Iran, supplying Tehran with intelligence and equipment during the war. Tehran previously supported Russia in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and provided it with its Shahed drone technology.

Moscow has since cloned it into its domestically produced Geran UAVs, which it routinely uses in its daily attacks on infrastructure and civilian targets in Ukraine.

The meeting, which was not announced in advance, comes after the Russian president met with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in Moscow during a summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum last week.

The content of Khamenei's message to Putin was not made public, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.

"The construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran was discussed" during the meeting with Putin, Rezaei stated.

He explained that the project aims to help Tehran "address gas shortages, while also facilitating the sale of Russian gas to neighboring countries."

Although Iran is a major producer of natural gas, it has long suffered from fuel shortages, a crisis that has only intensified since the start of the Iran war in late February.

According to Tehran, during the most intense phase of the war — which lasted nearly 40 days — the US and Israel launched attacks against critical Iranian infrastructure, including gas processing plants.

Iran responded by attacking what it said were US military facilities and other interests across the wider Middle East. Regional governments, witnesses on the ground and Euronews journalists reported that the attacks also hit civilian and infrastructure targets.

Both sides also imposed simultaneous blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global gas and oil trade.

In early October, Putin stated that Russia is prepared to act as a mediator to help end the war. Moscow has not acted as a mediator in the talks. Pakistan and Qatar have so far served as the main mediators.

Rezaei noted that Putin stressed the need for regional security mechanisms and asserted that "any interference by external powers" in resolving the situation in the Middle East is unacceptable.

Russia has delayed, turned to Kiev, or rejected all efforts to mediate an end to its ongoing war in Ukraine, which has now entered its fifth year.

Infrastructure and loans

According to Rezaei, the meeting also addressed progress on key bilateral infrastructure projects. “The Supreme National Security Council has approved the executive agreement for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway, with Russian participation,” he said, as quoted by the Iranian news agency IRNA.

"The Minister of Roads and Urban Development will soon sign this contract on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Rezaei added.

With a length of just over 160 kilometers, this section represents the last missing link on the western route of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which aims to provide a direct connection between Russia and Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf.

Press reports citing the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars indicated that Russia had completed preparations to provide Iran with a $1 billion loan, although the transfer of funds has been delayed.

According to Fars, this $1 billion is intended to be the first installment of a $20 billion Russian loan to Iran.

Some experts have linked the delay in the distribution of these funds specifically to the stalled progress of the Rasht-Astara railway project.

"We are prepared to provide the necessary credit resources," Putin declared during a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on October 1.

"The question is for our Iranian friends to complete their part of the work at this stage."

After the meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning telling Russians to avoid visits to Iran and the Middle East as the risk of a new war persists.

The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously advised Russian citizens not to travel to Persian Gulf countries for tourism – specifically in February, shortly before the US and Israel launched their attacks on Iran in the opening of the war.

That advisory was lifted in June after Washington and Iran signed an interim deal, which has since failed.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×