US sources: Iran Quds chief visited Russia despite UN travel ban
The head of Iran's elite military Quds Force, who is subject to a United Nations travel ban, has visited Russia, two US security sources said on Friday.
Qassem Soleimani, chief of the force which is an overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, has been subject to an international travel ban and asset freeze by the UN Security Council since 2007. Fox News reported on Thursday that Soleimani had arrived in Moscow on July 24 and met President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu before departing three days later. A Kremlin spokesman denied any meeting between Soleimani and Putin had taken place, RIA news agency reported. The two US security sources told Reuters the Fox report was true and the United States believed the meeting between Putin and Soleimani took place.
