Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik engaged in diplomatic discussions with top defense officials from Russia and Belarus on Monday, according to state media reports from the region.
The Iranian official first met with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in Kyrgyzstan, where the Russian minister emphasized Moscow’s established stance that Middle Eastern conflicts must be settled through diplomatic channels only. Belousov expressed confidence that Russia and Iran would maintain their mutual support, as reported by the state-run TASS news agency.
Talaei-Nik subsequently visited Belarus, a key Russian ally, for discussions with Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin about the current Middle East crisis. According to Belarus’ Defense Ministry, as cited by the state BelTA news agency, both leaders reached consensus that the only path forward involves “a return to the sphere of a political-diplomatic settlement and the intensification of the process of negotiations.”
The Belarusian ministry’s statement indicated the talks “confirmed the mutual interest of Minsk and Tehran for a further deepening of their joint interaction.”
Meanwhile, in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin conducted a separate meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Putin commended the Iranian people for their efforts to maintain independence despite pressure from the United States and Israel, pledging that Moscow would provide all possible assistance to Tehran.
