Despite denials, Iran's Gen. Soleimani did meet Putin, sources say
DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. April 17, 2016, 12:04 PM (IDT)
The office of Russian President Vladimir Putin, sources in the Russian Defense Ministry, Iran's embassy in Moscow and Putin's personal spokesman Dmitry Peskov all issued denials on Saturday that Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Al Qods brigades and of Iran's forces in Syria and Iraq, visited Moscow during the last few days and met with the Russian president.
However, DEBKAfile's military and intelligence sources report that he did travel to Moscow and meet with Putin. They said he made the trip to coordinate upcoming military operations by the Russian and Iranian militaries in Syria.
It was Soleimani's first visit to Moscow since he stopped coming in November 2015 due to the tension between the two countries due to differences over how the war in Syria should be conducted.
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Source: http://www.debka.com/newsupdate/15932/Despite-denials-Iran-s-Gen-Soleimani-did-meet-Putin-sources-say
