Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia pledged support to Iran following a bilateral meeting on Tuesday.
The two leaders met in St Petersburg and discussed ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, including closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Russia, a close ally of Iran, has not yet joined the war as it remains occupied with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
During Monday’s meeting, the two leaders discussed the current situation, after which Putin offered support to Iran, stating that Russia would play its role in helping bring an end to hostilities. Putin’s message to Western countries is clear — that Moscow stands behind Iran, similar to China and other regional allies.
“For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests and the interests of all the people of the region so that peace can be achieved as soon as possible,” Putin told reporters after the meeting.
Araghchi arrived in Russia on Monday following trips to mediators Pakistan and Oman to discuss the Middle East crisis, as peace talks between Iran and the United States continued to face setbacks.
Over the weekend, Iran offered to open the Strait of Hormuz, a move that was confirmed by US President Donald Trump. According to White House sources, Trump’s national security team discussed an Iranian proposal on Monday.
“I don’t want to get ahead of the president or his national security team,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “What I will reiterate is that the president’s red lines with respect to Iran have been made very, very clear, not just to the American public, but also to them as well.”
The US approach to talks with Iran has largely been viewed with suspicion by experts, who believe that the US uses negotiations while continuing to launch aggressive strikes on Iran, as has been reported in June 2025 and February this year.
Iran demands written guarantees from Washington that both the US and Israel would not carry out any such aggression on the country in the future — a demand that Trump has so far refused to acknowledge.
In contrast, Washington has maintained increased pressure on Tehran, including a blockade of its fossil fuel exports, as it calls upon the country to abandon its uranium enrichment programme, saying it is aimed at building nuclear weapons.
Also read: Anything for peace, says Putin as Araghchi visits Moscow
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