Iran’s security chief meets Putin as US prepares for potential war scenario

Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, paid an emergency visit to Moscow on January 30, where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The trip was not announced in advance and only became public after the Kremlin issued a statement confirming the meeting. No official details were released regarding the substance of the discussions. However, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, said the sides addressed “important regional and international issues” as well as the “expansion of bilateral cooperation.”

Larijani’s visit came amid a sharp escalation in US military activity in the Middle East. On Friday, January 30, US naval forces began moving into combat positions in anticipation of a possible operation against Iran. Among the measures taken was the arrival of a destroyer at the Israeli port of Eilat as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group. In addition, F-15E multirole fighter jets were placed on heightened alert at a US base in Jordan.

US President Donald Trump has recently been presented with an expanded range of military scenarios targeting Iran, including the possible deployment of special forces inside the country. The plans reportedly envision strikes against Iran’s leadership and security institutions, as well as nuclear facilities that were not hit during previous US-Israeli airstrikes in June 2025. Satellite imagery indicates that Iran has begun filling in tunnel entrances at its nuclear facility in Isfahan — a precaution similar to those taken during the 12-day conflict with Israel.

According to media reports, Trump’s broader objective is to create conditions for a change in Iran’s political leadership. The country remains under the control of the Shiite clerical establishment led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In January, Iran experienced widespread anti-government protests that were violently suppressed. Official figures report that more than 3,100 people were killed.

Trump has stated that he has deployed a military force toward Iran larger than the one previously sent to Venezuela. He has once again called on Tehran to agree to a nuclear deal that would include abandoning uranium enrichment and limiting the range of ballistic missiles. Failing that, Trump warned, the US could launch a military operation exceeding the scale of the June 2025 campaign known as “Midnight Hammer.”

By Tamilla Hasanova