Russia's Shoigu in Iran for high-level talks amid Israel retaliation threat

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu visited Iran for talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian and top officials amid mounting tensions over a possible retaliation attack by the Islamic Republic against Israel for the death of a Hamas leader.

Shoigu, 68, will also meet with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Ahmadian and the Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Iranian news agencies also reported the planned meetings to discuss regional and international issues.

Iran has threatened to retaliate for last week's killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, while signalling it wants to avoid an all-out war with Israel. Moscow and Tehran have forged closer ties since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Iran supplying drones to aid Putin's military.

Shoigu, who was defense minister from 2012 until being moved to the security council in May, is regarded as one of Putin's closest allies. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Shoigu in June for alleged war crimes during the invasion.