Russia denies Qasem Soleimani’s meeting with Putin
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kermlin denied on Wednesday a visit by Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani to Moscow and a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Russian president was quoted by RIA news agency saying that Soleimani was not in Moscow.
The Russian denial is a response to a report by Iran’s IRNA news agency last week that said General Soleimani was in Moscow for a meeting with Russian leaders, including President Putin.
Soleimani is the commander of the Quds Force and a major general in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
He is believed to play a key role in Tehran-Moscow-Damascus relations.
Soleimani has also led Iraqi Shiite militia and Syrian army in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in both countries.
Sources inside the Revolutionary Guards denied the general’s meeting with Putin, according to BBC Persian, and IRNA news agency retracted its report from last week following the Kremlin response.
Reuters reported last June that Soleimani was in Moscow to facilitate Russian intervention in Syria.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Russian president was quoted by RIA news agency saying that Soleimani was not in Moscow.
The Russian denial is a response to a report by Iran’s IRNA news agency last week that said General Soleimani was in Moscow for a meeting with Russian leaders, including President Putin.
Soleimani is the commander of the Quds Force and a major general in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
He is believed to play a key role in Tehran-Moscow-Damascus relations.
Soleimani has also led Iraqi Shiite militia and Syrian army in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in both countries.
Sources inside the Revolutionary Guards denied the general’s meeting with Putin, according to BBC Persian, and IRNA news agency retracted its report from last week following the Kremlin response.
Reuters reported last June that Soleimani was in Moscow to facilitate Russian intervention in Syria.