Iranian president to meet Putin in Russia on Thursday

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Russia on Thursday for talks with Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said, as the two countries strengthen economic and military ties in the face of Western sanctions.

"I can confirm. There will be Russian-Iranian negotiations on Dec. 7," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday when asked about media reports of Raisi's impending visit.

Putin visited Iran in July last year and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov travelled to Tehran in October for talks with regional counterparts.

Western countries have accused Tehran of supporting Russia's offensive in Ukraine by providing it with large quantities of drones and other weaponry.

Iran's official news agency Irna said Raisi would be travelling to Moscow following an invitation from Putin.

"Bilateral issues, including economic interactions, as well as discussions about regional and international issues, especially the situation in Gaza, will be high on the agenda of the one-day trip," it reported.