Russia–Iran close ranks as sanctioned security chief Ali Larijani meets Putin

Under mounting U.S. pressure, Russia and Iran are moving visibly closer, with Tehran’s top security chief Ali Larijani holding a hastily announced meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on January 30, according to the Kremlin. The talks come just weeks after Washington hit Larijani with fresh sanctions for allegedly directing a brutal crackdown on nationwide anti‑government protests, which U.S. officials say left large numbers of demonstrators dead and injured. Watch for more