Mojtaba Khamenei's first international contact may be a meeting with Putin

The first international contact of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei could be a phone call or meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This was reported by TASS, citing an Iranian source.

"Russia is a country close to us, His Excellency [Vladimir] Putin is a close friend of the Islamic Republic. And perhaps the first call and the first meeting will be with President Putin," the agency's interlocutor said.

"But at the moment, due to the military situation and security considerations, he (Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei - ed.) is not appearing in public," he added.

Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran's Supreme Leader after the death of his father Ali Khamenei as a result of missile strikes following an attack by the United States and Israel on the Islamic Republic.