"The head of state received in the Kremlin the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Larijani, who is visiting Russia," the Kremlin said in a statement on its website.

Earlier on Friday, US President Trump said he believed Iran -- a close ally of Russia -- wanted to make a deal on its nuclear programme to avoid military action.

Trump also renewed his threat to launch strikes against Iran, which recently imposed a crackdown on protesters that observers said killed thousands.

Iran's Moscow embassy posted on social media that Friday's talks between Putin and Larijani focused on economic ties and "important regional and international issues", without elaborating further.

The visit had not been previously announced, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

Moscow has offered to mediate between Washington and Tehran.

While Iran emerged as one of Russia's main allies during the war in Ukraine, Russia gives Tehran crucial international backing.