According to Fox News, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani has visited the Russian capital.
Qassem Soleimani, center, attending a September 2016 meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard commanders in Tehran (Photo: AP / Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader)
Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani has allegedly visited Moscow in circumvention of the UN sanctions, the American Fox News TV-channel reported on Wednesday, citing sources in intelligence. Soleimani is a commander of the Quds Force, a Special Forces’ unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards responsible for their extraterritorial operations, which has been considered by the US as a supporter of terrorism since 2007.
The Kremlin declined to comment on reports of foreign media about the visit of the Iranian Major General to Moscow, the Interfax news agency reported.
“This question is not for us,” press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, told the news agency, when he was asked to clarify whether the Kremlin has information about this visit.
As the American TV-channel reported, The Iranian Major General, who is “responsible for the deaths of nearly 500 Americans, traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet with high-ranking Russian officials.” According to Fox News, this visit violates numerous UN sanctions, which prohibit Soleimani to travel outside of his country. The TV-channel cited “multiple western intelligence officials with direct knowledge of the visit.”
According to the TV-channel’s report, Soleimani allegedly arrived around noon on February 14 in Terminal A of the Vnukovo airport and plans to stay in the country for a few days for meetings.
“Soleimani is visiting Moscow to express his displeasure with the Russian government over their relationship with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, mainly regarding weapons deals and strengthening economic ties,” Fox News reported.
However, these claims missrepresent the current militray and diplomatic situation over conflicts in the Middle East.
If Soleimani’s visit to Russia is confirmed, it would be an obvious move by the Iranian political-military leadershio, aimed on intensification of multilateral contacts in the region.
Most likely, the Iranian Major General and Russian officials will discuss the involvement of the US and Turkey in the conflict, as well as the ongoing operations against the Islamic State (IS) group and other terrorists.
Earlier this week, reports appeared that the Pentagon is considering to send conventional ground troops to Syria.
On February 16, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov was set to hold a meeting in Baku
“Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani has allegedly visited Moscow in circumvention of the UN sanctions”.
So the US has thrown it’s dummy out the pram again….. yawn. No one listens to the UN (US) anymore without laughing. Pathetic oafs.
No one listens to the UN (US) anymore without laughing
Only 80% of world.
If this is true,this is interesting development.A lot of people say that he was responsible for Russia entering the Syrian war during his visit in July 2015
Maybe hewas responsible, but Russia has no sources and will to do more. From the beginning their plan was division of country. Putin knows, Russia is to weak to save Syria. He want only western therd of country with naval and airbase.
Russia plan was to save President Assad and they did it.Before the intervention the situation was bad – rebels were advancing,ISIS also.
I have saved Putins speech. He talked about undivided Syria, nuclear weapons, etc… And began swiftly, hard. But later ….
There is difference from speech and real actions.Russia went to Syria with one goal – preventing the fall of Assad.What Putin says doesnt matter.Syria will not be united as before and I know this since 2013.
But the syrians want united Syria. If will be not united, the russians lose the important things. For them the Qatar pipelini is the danger. If Assad lose est parts, this pipeline will be realized. And in this case would nbetter for assad anad syria, allow it. Assad was against this plan becouse Russia asked him. Therefore Russa has to help hold together syria. If not, they are enemies of Syria. Which fact would not surprized me, after I swa, whar they did with friendly countries after 1990.
Assad havent given up on the east.This is why the SAA is fighting so hard in Deir Ez Zor pocket.I think SAA will take the west,east and the south.The problem is the north.You have ES and the Kurds.
the ususal USA fake news… who fucking cares whether this commander was sanctioned to not leave Iran… bu US … is US God ? … and purpose of vist is definitely NOT what US TV purports to know… FAKE FAKE FAKE