Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Moscow on Monday, just two days after the United States launched its most significant military strikes on Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The meeting marked a major diplomatic gesture amid escalating tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel.

Araqchi travelled to Russia on the direct orders of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking greater support from Moscow following the unprecedented airstrikes by US bomber planes on Iran’s three main nuclear sites. The strikes, authorised by President Donald Trump, have raised fears in Moscow of regional destabilisation and regime change efforts in Tehran.

Putin Condemns U.S. Actions as 'Unprovoked Aggression'

In a televised exchange at the Kremlin, President Putin condemned the US strikes, calling them “absolutely unprovoked aggression” and “without justification.” He assured Araqchi that Russia was working to support the Iranian people. “I am very glad that you are in Moscow today,” Putin said. “This will give us the opportunity to discuss all these pressing issues and think together about how we could get out of today’s situation.”

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Iran Thanks Russia for Its Support

Araqchi responded by thanking Putin for standing against the US actions. “Russia stands on the right side of history,” he said. The Iranian envoy emphasised that Iran’s response to the strikes was a matter of “legitimate self-defence” and conveyed greetings and best wishes from both Supreme Leader Khamenei and newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The Kremlin later confirmed that Putin reciprocated those sentiments and asked Araqchi to relay his best wishes back to the Iranian leadership.

Diplomatic Channels Remain Open

The high-level meeting comes at a time of growing concerns over a broader regional war, with US and Israeli officials openly speculating about the potential elimination of Khamenei and the collapse of the Iranian regime. Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern that such ambitions could lead to catastrophic instability across the Middle East.

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Despite the sharp criticism of Washington’s military action, Kremlin officials emphasised that diplomatic channels with the United States remain open. According to a Kremlin spokesperson, a phone call between Presidents Putin and Trump could be arranged swiftly “if necessary.”