Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow on Monday, as Israeli forces continued to strike Tehran. The Russian leader condemned US attacks on Iran and reassured the Iranian delegation that the people of Iran can count on Russia for support.
A short video released by the Kremlin shows Putin meeting the Iranian delegation in an ornate room, accompanied by his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Yury Ushakov, a top-level aide and former Russian ambassador to Washington.
Putin told Araghchi he held phone calls with US President Donald Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed Al Nahyan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
He did not specify the timing of these conversations, and the Kremlin said on Sunday there was no plan for Putin to speak to Trump after the US strikes against Iran.
Araghchi thanked Putin for his support and said Russia was “on the right side of history.”
He also hailed the close relationship between Tehran and Moscow which he said, “grew even closer in recent years.”
More on Iran-Russia alliance: Iran has been among Russia’s strongest backers after Putin launched a full-scale unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Iranian regime has supplied Russia with weapons, including short-range ballistic missiles and thousands of Shahed drones and, according to US officials, built a drone factory in Russia.
Moscow in turn has stood by Iran during the conflict with Israel and after the US strikes.
“In relation to the nuclear program — Russia has been a partner, and they helped us. Also, Russia has been present during the nuclear talks and they played a significant role,” Araghchi said.
Russia built and is still involved in the running of the Bushehr power plant in southern Iran, the country’s only nuclear power plant. Putin said last week that some 200 Russian experts are at the facility and he thanked Israel for agreeing to “ensure” their safety.
