Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Major General Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, at the Kremlin in Moscow, according to Iranian state broadcaster SNN TV, which cited Russian news agency Interfax.

According to the reports, Putin and Rezaei held discussions at the Kremlin Palace, reflecting continuing high-level engagement between Moscow and Tehran at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions involving Iran and the United States.

The meeting took place shortly after the 2026 US midterm elections, which resulted in Democrats regaining control of both chambers of Congress in a significant setback for President Donald Trump's administration.

At the same time, political tensions between Washington and Tehran have continued to escalate. Iran's chief negotiator in talks with the United States and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf launched a sharp attack on American leadership, accusing US officials of bringing "losing gambler energy" to negotiations while claiming America was approaching an "Israel-First cliff".

In a post on X, Ghalibaf wrote: "Losing gambler energy, can't walk away from the table. Boss is prepping the next war phase while America teeters on an Israel-First cliff. Skip the TED talk. Why not say this to your boss?"

Pressure has also been mounting on President Trump regarding his administration's handling of the conflict with Iran. Calls for the dismissal of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have emerged from across the political spectrum, with critics arguing that the war has imposed significant political costs on the administration.

Despite the criticism, Trump publicly reaffirmed his support for Hegseth, stating: "I have every intention to keep him. I get these calls, you know, about him. I don't understand why."

The scrutiny surrounding Hegseth intensified as senior White House figures openly acknowledged the domestic political impact of the war. Vice President JD Vance directly connected the Republican Party's midterm defeat to the conflict, saying: "The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone... The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night."

Trump largely agreed with that assessment, arguing that the conflict contributed to higher petrol prices in the short term while defending the decision to pursue military action.

"Well, I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term, and probably that's probably it's true. But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again because long-term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

The President also rejected suggestions that Democrats could seek impeachment proceedings, asserting that such a move "would destroy the Democratic Party".

Reports indicated that Trump has been discussing Hegseth's future with advisers and associates following the disappointing election results, although no final decision has been made. The wider handling of the Iran war has become a central issue within White House deliberations.

Attention has also turned towards senior military leadership. According to reports, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, could face increased congressional and public scrutiny because of their advisory roles in relation to the Iran conflict.

The Kremlin meeting also followed another recent high-level Russia-Iran engagement. On 27 October, during the 8th Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow, Putin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The two leaders discussed expanding political, economic, trade and energy cooperation, including joint projects in the oil and gas sectors.

The latest Putin-Rezaei talks underline the increasingly close strategic relationship between Russia and Iran as both countries seek deeper cooperation across security, economic and diplomatic spheres while navigating growing tensions with the United States and its allies.

ANI