Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Tehran on Monday for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
Talks between the two ministers began on Monday, according to Azerbaijan's APA news agency. A meeting between Mr Lavrov and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was described as expected, but no report had confirmed that it had taken place.
TASS reported that Mr Lavrov was to discuss steps towards de-escalation in the Persian Gulf region with Mr Araghchi. The agency said he was also due to meet Mr Pezeshkian.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced the trip on Friday. She said: "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay a working visit to Tehran." She added that he would hold talks with the Iranian foreign minister.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the agenda includes the situation around Iran and Russia's steps to ease tensions. It also covers the implementation of agreements reached in recent high-level contacts and of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, Tehran Times reported.
In a statement on 18 October, the ministry said "due attention will be paid to key aspects of trade, economic and investment cooperation, the implementation of major joint projects in the transport, logistics, and energy sectors", according to Sputnik.
The Russian ministry also said the two sides would coordinate their positions at the United Nations and in BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Eurasian Economic Union. It said this was the fourth in-person meeting between Mr Lavrov and Mr Araghchi in 2026.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said the agenda covered the implementation of bilateral agreements and consultations on regional developments, Bluewin reported.
TASS said Mr Lavrov was also likely to brief the Iranian side on the Gulf Cooperation Council ministerial council in Manama. That meeting was the first stop on his Middle East tour.
Ms Zakharova said tensions affecting Russia's friendly countries in West Asia stemmed from actions by the United States and Israel. No response from Washington or Israel had been reported.
TASS said the United States had effectively signalled that it would stop using large-scale force and shift to sanctions. The agency's account had not been confirmed by US officials in the material available.
No comments from Mr Lavrov, Mr Araghchi or Mr Pezeshkian made during the visit had been reported at the time of writing.
The two foreign ministers last met on 9 October in Turkmenistan, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States, according to Mehr news agency.
Russia and Iran signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty at the start of 2025, according to an analysis by the historian Pietro Shakarian. He wrote that Mr Araghchi visited Moscow on 17 December 2025, when he and Mr Lavrov signed a three-year plan for consultations between their foreign ministries.
Mr Araghchi said at that time that Mr Pezeshkian had met Russian President Vladimir Putin five times in 18 months, according to the same analysis.
A TASS headline said Iran would like to resume dialogue with the US and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and that Russia was ready to assist. Details of any Russian role had not been confirmed.
The meeting with Mr Pezeshkian is expected to be the next event in the visit. No joint press conference or statement had been reported.
Photo: ДИП МИД РФ (фотограф Эдуард Песов) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
