WANA (Oct 25) – The visit of Russia’s Special Presidential Envoy for Syria to Tehran, about four days after Ahmad al-Shar’a — better known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, head of Syria’s interim government — traveled to Moscow, sparked speculation among political observers. The timing of these visits prompted Iranian journalists to question the Kremlin’s spokesperson about possible links between them.
On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the head of Syria’s interim government at the Kremlin — marking Jolani’s first trip to Moscow since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Soon after, on Monday, October 20, Alexander Lavrentiev, Putin’s special envoy for Syrian affairs, visited Tehran, where he met with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi. A day later, he also held talks with Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Putin’s Special Envoy Meets With Larijani
WANA (Oct 21) – Alexander Lavrentiev, the Special Envoy of the Russian President for Syrian Affairs, met with Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, on Tuesday for talks and consultations. Lavrentiev arrived in Tehran on Monday, where he also met with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi. During the meeting, […]
Reporters, referring to the widespread speculation, asked Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov whether the head of Syria’s interim government had sought to convey a message to Tehran during his talks with Putin, who is considered Iran’s strategic ally.
Peskov responded, “At this moment, we have nothing to add to the news reports published regarding Mr. al-Shar’a’s visit to Moscow.”
When asked about Moscow’s view of the relationship between Tehran and Damascus following the fall of Assad’s government, Peskov said, “Iran and Syria are independent states, and they make their own decisions regarding bilateral relations.”
However, when pressed on whether Iran was discussed during the Putin–Jolani talks, Peskov declined to answer.
Russian Presidential Envoy for Syria Meets Iranian Foreign Minister
WANA (Oct 20) – Alexander Lavrentiev, the Special Envoy of the President of Russia for Syrian Affairs, who is visiting Tehran for consultations with Iranian officials, met with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Monday evening. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the latest regional and international developments, particularly the situation in Syria, […]
Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry had stated that during the meeting between Foreign Minister Araghchi and Lavrentiev, the two sides reaffirmed the shared stance of Tehran and Damascus on regional developments — emphasizing the need to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity, oppose any violation of its sovereignty, and prevent the country from becoming a breeding ground for terrorism.
According to the same report, Lavrentiev also underscored the strategic partnership between Tehran and Damascus and highlighted the importance of continuous consultations between officials of both countries on regional and international matters.
On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Lavrentiev met again in Tehran with Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader. During this meeting, the Russian envoy outlined the latest regional developments and discussed ongoing regional cooperation. Larijani, in turn, expressed appreciation for Russia’s stance at the UN Security Council and its coordination with Iran at the United Nations, welcoming further dialogue on regional issues.
Abdolreza Faraji Rad, Iran’s former ambassador to Hungary and Norway and a professor of geopolitics, previously noted in an article that during Larijani’s recent trip to Moscow to deliver a message from Iran’s Supreme Leader to President Putin, “it is believed that Ahmad al-Shar’a’s visit and the issues raised regarding Iran were discussed between Larijani and Putin. This assumption is supported by the fact that shortly after Larijani’s return from Moscow, Putin’s envoy for Syrian affairs traveled to Tehran for meetings with officials both within and outside the Foreign Ministry.”
Putin and Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. Social Media / WANA News Agency