Iranian Official Visiting Moscow Says 'US Grandeur Shattered'

Ahmadian, who is the representative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the security council, held a meeting with the secretary of Russia’s security council Nikolai Patrushev. He told his Russian counterpart, "America's grandeur has shattered, and today, it cannot even rally its traditional allies. A country that considers itself a superpower is engaged in war against resistance groups and the people of the region."

Iran that armed and trained Hamas before the October 7 invasion of Israel, has avoided direct military conflict with Israel and the United States in the ensuing Gaza war. However, its armed proxy groups in the region have targeted US and international interests.

Yemen’s Houthis, one of Iran’s proxies, began targeting international commercial shipping in the Red Sea from mid-November, causing disruptions and forcing the US and the UK to launch airstrikes against their military bases.

Other Iranian allies in Iraq and Syria have launched more than 150 rocket and drone attacks at US forces in the two countries, to which the US military has responded with strikes.

IRNA reported that Ahmadian held talks over promised Russian investments in Iran’s oil and gas sector. Russia has signed many preliminary agreements with Iran about economic cooperation, but it has delivered very little.