Russia’s Shoigu Arrives in Iran Days After North Korea Visit

By Bloomberg News

Published: September 17, 2024 at 12:29PM EDT

Sergei Shoigu, Russia's defense minister, attends the state-of-the-nation address by Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, Feb. 20. 2019. Already this year people should feel changes for the better, Putin said in his annual state-of-the-nation speech on Wednesday. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Iran on an unannounced visit just days after he held talks in Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Shoigu gave Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian a message from Russian leader Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Tehran, Russian state television reported Tuesday. He also met with his counterpart Ali Akbar Ahmadian.

The former Russian defense minister and North Korea’s leader discussed a range of bilateral and international topics during a Sept. 13 meeting, according to the Russian Security Council. Shoigu also met Sept. 16 with with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, the state-run Tass news service reported.