The visit came just days after Shoigu traveled to North Korea for talks with leader Kim Jong Un, and after he met Monday with Syrian leader Bashar Assad. This would mark an escalation in Iran's support for Russia, with the Islamic Republic previously sending aerial drones used by Russia to attack Ukrainian towns and infrastructure. AdvertisementIn recent months, North Korea has reportedly sent millions of shells to Russia, as well as ballistic missiles. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said last week that the delivery of Iranian missiles to Russia had changed the debate about Ukraine using Western long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia. Russia is currently making incremental but important advances in its campaign to seize more territory in eastern Ukraine, while Ukraine has occupied parts of Russia's Kursk province, after a surprise attack last month.

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Persons: —, Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Masoud Pezeshkian, Pezeshkian, Shoigu, Kim Jong Un, Bashar Assad, State Anthony Blinken, Kyrylo Budanov, David Lammy, Keir Starmer, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Iran's Supreme National Security, Business, Institute for, State, Russia, Islamic Locations: Iran, Ukraine, North Korea, Russia, US, China, Syria, Islamic Republic, Russia's Kursk