Iran seeks stronger Russia backing after U.S. strikes

Iran's top diplomat has travelled to Moscow with a message from Supreme Leader Khamenei, seeking greater support from Russia after the most significant U.S. military action against Iran in decades.

Following recent U.S. military strikes on Iran—the most significant since the 1979 revolution—Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to Moscow on Monday to seek additional support from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The developments have drawn regional concern, including from Russia. While President Putin has publicly condemned Israeli strikes, he has not yet commented on the U.S. actions, instead offering Russia’s services as a potential mediator to ease tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

According to a senior source, Araqchi is delivering a letter from Khamenei to Putin, requesting increased backing.

Sources familiar with Iran’s position told Reuters that Tehran is not fully satisfied with Russia’s current level of support and is seeking stronger cooperation, though the specific nature of this assistance has not been disclosed.

The Kremlin confirmed that President Putin would meet with Araqchi, though no official details about the discussion agenda were released. 

Russia, a longstanding diplomatic partner of Iran and a participant in past nuclear negotiations, is also engaged in ongoing military operations in Ukraine.

This situation may influence Moscow’s approach to developments involving Iran and the U.S. Last week, Putin declined to comment on speculation about potential threats to Khamenei, but noted that Israel had assured Russia that its personnel working on the Bushehr nuclear facility would not be targeted in any military action.

As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and a signatory to the now-defunct 2015 nuclear agreement, Russia remains a key player in diplomatic efforts. However, Tehran appears to be calling for more concrete support beyond mediation.

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