Lebanese Newspaper Close to Hezbollah: Qassem Soleimani's Second Trip to Russia

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Safir, close to Hezbollah, reported in its issue on Tuesday, September 24, citing an 'Arab source,' that Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, the foreign branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran, traveled to Russia for the second time in the past month last week. According to the report, it is still unclear which Russian officials Soleimani met and discussed with during this trip. Soleimani's previous trip to Russia faced criticism from the United States, but Russia denied that this Iranian military official had traveled to Moscow. Reuters and Fox News reported on August 16, citing two American security and intelligence sources, that Qassem Soleimani arrived in Moscow on July 25 and met with Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Sergey Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister. At that time, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, citing the Kremlin spokesperson, denied the reports of Soleimani's meeting with Vladimir Putin. Now, Al-Safir has written: 'It is likely that Soleimani's second trip to Moscow was part of Russia and Iran's efforts for joint cooperation in Syria. The Iranians have gained significant experience from the battlefields in Syria after three years of participation by IRGC officers in military operations. This trip can also be seen in the context of ongoing Russian operations in Syria, as Moscow is developing the Hmeimim military airport near the Syrian coast.' The report added that Soleimani's recent trip to Moscow 'will strengthen Iran and Russia's cooperation in Syria, and now, after the completion of the air bridge between Moscow and Latakia on September 24, we should await the clarification of Russia's new roadmap in Syria.' Following reports of Soleimani's first trip to Russia, the U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that the United States had expressed its objections to senior officials of that country regarding Major General Qassem Soleimani's trip to Russia. The U.S. also announced that it intends to raise its concerns about this 'trip' at the United Nations and pursue the matter through the Security Council. The Lebanese newspaper Al-Safir also referenced the visit of Mikhail Bogdanov, special envoy of Vladimir Putin, to Tehran before Soleimani's first trip to Moscow, stating: 'Bogdanov visited Tehran on August 4 and met with Iranian officials, including Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, a member of the IRGC in the Iranian Foreign Ministry.' Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is the Deputy Minister for Arab and African Affairs in the Iranian Foreign Ministry. According to this report, Bogdanov reached an agreement with the Iranians on 'new foundations for the coalition between Tehran and Moscow to combat ISIS in Syria.'