Putin receives Khamenei envoy in Moscow as Russia warns citizens against travel to Iran
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei flew to Moscow to deliver a message from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Vladimir Putin. Shortly after the meeting, Russia’s Foreign Ministry advised its citizens to temporarily avoid travel to Iran.
A high-level visit by Iran’s top security official to Moscow on 5 November highlighted close contacts between the two governments, even as Russia moved to warn its own citizens away from travel to Iran.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, landed in Moscow, met President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin and delivered him a letter from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to state media and official readouts. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin received Rezaei, and footage from the meeting showed the Russian leader joined by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov and Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.
Iranian reports said Rezaei was carrying a message from Khamenei to Putin. Separate accounts also described Rezaei as Iran’s security chief delivering a message from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Russia’s president.
Shortly after the meeting, Russia’s Foreign Ministry advised Russian citizens to temporarily avoid travel to Iran. The ministry’s advisory followed the talks between Putin and Rezaei but did not publicly specify the reasons for the warning.
For Russians and Iranians who rely on cross-border movement for work in sectors such as tourism, aviation, construction and energy, the guidance to avoid travel has practical consequences. Russian tourists have become a source of foreign currency spending in Iran, and any prolonged fall in arrivals would affect businesses that serve them.
The presence of GRU chief Kostyukov alongside Putin at the Kremlin meeting emphasized that this was a security-focused encounter rather than a routine diplomatic courtesy call. Rezaei’s position as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and his role as messenger for Khamenei, point to discussions that both sides preferred to handle through personal delivery rather than regular diplomatic channels.
Both countries face Western sanctions and international pressure, and their leaderships have expanded cooperation in areas that include security and energy. The Russian travel advisory shows that, even as top officials coordinate more closely, Moscow is prepared to flag what it sees as elevated risks for ordinary travelers.
Signals to watch after this meeting include any public announcements of new Russia–Iran agreements following Rezaei’s visit, changes to Russia’s travel guidance, and further visible contacts between senior security officials on either side.
Sources
- OSINT