The two sides reportedly discussed closer cooperation between their special services and law enforcement agencies
Iranian police chief General Ahmad-Reza Radan © AFP / ATTA KENARE
The secretary of Russia’s Security Council hosted a meeting on Tuesday with the commander-in-chief of Iran’s law enforcement forces, seeking closer coordination between Moscow and Tehran, according to a press release from the council.
The Iranian Embassy in Moscow said Nikolai Patrushev and Sardar Ahmadreza Radan discussed interaction between special services and law enforcement agencies, and signed a memorandum to jointly combat drug trafficking, organized crime and smuggling
Radan arrived in Moscow on June 27 on a two-day visit during which, according to the Iranian embassy, he is meeting with Russian security and law enforcement officials.
While neither Moscow nor Teheran have disclosed specific issues raised at the talks, officials have speculated that they may have been focusing on challenges posed by Western powers with a hostile stance on both countries.
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Ahead of Radan’s meeting with Patrushev, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense, Alexei Zhuravlev, suggested that the two officials would discuss the fight against terrorist organizations in Eurasia and could exchange experience on countering attempts by Western intelligence agencies to destabilize the situations in Iran and Russia, and organize riots.
Zhuravlev noted that Moscow and Tehran have maintained friendly relations since the Soviet era, and are still cooperating productively in both Syria and the Caspian region.
The day before Radan arrived in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi. According to the Kremlin, the leaders discussed the recent Wagner mutiny, measures to ensure stability in the Caucasus region and Syria, and efforts to boost trade, energy and transport links.
