Iran has called on Russia for greater support following the most significant U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi traveled to Moscow to deliver a letter from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to President Vladimir Putin, urging deeper Russian backing amid escalating tensions with the United States and Israel.
The diplomatic mission comes as U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli officials openly speculate about regime change in Tehran, raising alarm in Moscow over potential regional chaos. While Putin has condemned Israeli airstrikes, he has not yet commented on the U.S. attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. However, he recently reiterated Moscow’s readiness to mediate and preserve Iran’s access to civil nuclear energy.
Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Iran is dissatisfied with Russia’s current level of support and is pressing for more decisive action, though specifics remain unclear. The Kremlin confirmed that Putin would meet Araqchi but did not disclose the agenda.
Araqchi told Russian media that Iran and Russia are aligning their positions amid rising Middle East tensions. Putin, for his part, has refused to entertain discussions around the potential assassination of Khamenei, stating that Israel has assured Moscow that Russian workers at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear site will not be harmed.
Russia, a key player in past nuclear negotiations and a permanent UN Security Council member, has long supported Iran. However, with Moscow entangled in a prolonged war in Ukraine, Putin appears reluctant to deepen confrontation with Washington—especially as Trump signals interest in restoring U.S.-Russia relations.
As the crisis unfolds, Iran seeks firmer backing from its closest ally, while the global community watches closely for Russia’s next move.