The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has sent his foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, to Moscow to personally deliver a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He asked for more support following the most significant U.S. military attack on Iran since the 1979 revolution.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel have both publicly hinted at the possibility of killing Khamenei and pursuing regime change in Iran. This has raised alarm in Moscow, where officials believe such actions could push the Middle East into deeper chaos.
While President Putin has openly condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, he has not commented on the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Last week, however, he called for restraint and offered Moscow’s help to mediate the escalating nuclear crisis.
A senior source informed Reuters that Araqchi’s mission to Moscow includes handing over a letter from Khamenei and asking for more decisive backing from Russia.
Moreover, Iranian sources also told Reuters that Tehran is not satisfied with the current level of support. They want Moscow to do more, although they didn’t specify the kind of assistance expected.
Iran Asks Putin for Stronger Support
The Kremlin confirmed that Putin would meet with Araqchi, but didn’t provide details on the agenda.
Speaking to TASS, Araqchi said Iran and Russia are “coordinating their positions on the current escalation in the Middle East.” Putin has repeatedly offered to mediate between Iran and the U.S.
He stated that Russia had shared proposals with both countries and is committed to ensuring Iran’s continued access to peaceful nuclear energy.
Last week, Putin refused to discuss whether the U.S. or Israel would target Khamenei. He added that Israel had given security assurances for Russian personnel working on two new nuclear reactors at Iran’s Bushehr facility.
Russia remains a long-time ally of Iran and holds influence as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and as a former signatory to the nuclear deal that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
Despite this history, Russia’s current stance is cautious.
With the Ukraine war entering its fourth year, President Putin has shown no public interest in confronting the United States over Iran, especially as Trump appears to be working on restoring ties with Moscow.
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