On 30 July 2026, at the Patriarchal Residence of the Monastery of St Daniel in Moscow, a meeting took place between Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Kazem Jalali, Ambassador of Iran to Russia.
Representing the Russian Church at the meeting were Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, and Archpriest Sergey Zvonarev, Secretary of the Department responsible for relations with countries abroad.
Representing the Embassy of Iran in Russia were Abdulreza Rashid, Head of the Embassy’s Cultural Centre, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mahdi Bakhtavar, Embassy Counsellor, and Cultural Attaché Zahra Rashidbeigi.
Welcoming his guest, Patriarch Kirill spoke warmly of their previous meeting: “We discussed our bilateral relations and the importance of dialogue between our religions. I am especially pleased that we have the opportunity to renew this fraternal dialogue and our communication.”
The Ambassador presented Patriarch Kirill with a letter from the current Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, expressing gratitude to the Patriarch for his condolences following the assassination, in February of this year, of his father, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, as well as for his congratulations on the occasion of his election.
The letter also emphasised the importance of the deep relations between the peoples of Russia and Iran, as well as the need to continue and further develop them.
Patriarch Kirill stated: “With deep sorrow, I learn of the suffering endured by people as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts in various regions of the world, and, of course, I share the pain of those who are suffering in Iran. I pray for all those facing difficult trials, for those who have lost loved ones, and for the swift restoration of peace and justice. I believe that even in the most challenging times we must preserve our commitment to dialogue and mutual respect, contributing in every possible way to ending violence and conflicts, so that peace and mutual understanding may prevail among the faithful of our religions.”
The Patriarch praised the ongoing dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and Iran: “The Joint Commission that we established for dialogue between Orthodoxy and Islam demonstrates the closeness of our positions on many contemporary issues. This dialogue has already continued for many years, without losing its importance or relevance. Perhaps this is because both Muslims and Orthodox Christians recognise that we share common views on many of the issues currently on the global agenda.”
The Patriarch of Moscow referred to the main areas of convergence between Muslim and Orthodox perspectives, which provide a firm foundation for the further development of dialogue: questions of morality and values, the role of religion in public life, and views on the family and marriage.
“It is extremely important that we, as traditional religions, preserve the commandments given to us by God and safeguard those values whose collapse could lead to the degradation of the human person and of society as a whole,” Patriarch Kirill stressed.
The Patriarch also highlighted the importance of academic dialogue between Iranian religious institutions and the Kazan Theological Academy, which has already produced significant results and is expected to contribute further to the development of bilateral relations.
Mr Jalali stated: “The relations, ties, and contacts between Russia and Iran are developing every day. This is happening because they are based on human values and on the conviction that the most important bond connecting our peoples is the promotion of spirituality throughout the world.”
The Iranian Ambassador reiterated that the protection of the institution of the family, as well as peace and justice, are shared values that unite the two countries and their peoples.
“We are currently experiencing a ‘golden period’ in our bilateral relations, and our leaders understand each other very well. We are especially pleased that Islam and Orthodoxy maintain such close and strong ties,” Kazem Jalali concluded.
