Iran’s top religious and political authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has taken a serious step following a major military strike by the United States.
Urgent Trip to Moscow After US Attacks
On Monday, he sent Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, to Moscow to deliver a personal letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Observers are calling this visit a response to the largest U.S. military action against Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
The request to Putin comes as tensions in the Middle East have reached a dangerous level. Over the weekend, the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, raising fears of a much larger conflict. In response, Iran appears to be turning to its long-time ally Russia, asking for stronger and more active support.
Sources told Reuters that the Iranian leadership is not happy with Russia’s actions so far. Iran believes that Russia should be doing more to support it, especially now that both the United States and Israel are increasing their pressure. However, the exact kind of help Iran is requesting from Russia remains unclear, as Iranian officials did not give further details.
This diplomatic move signals Iran’s urgency. The plan was for Foreign Minister Araqchi to meet with Putin and personally deliver the Khamenei letter. Though the Kremlin confirmed the meeting, they did not share any information about the letter’s content or the planned discussion.
Russia’s Careful Response and Expectations of Iran
President Putin has previously spoken out against Israeli airstrikes in the region but has not made any public comments about the recent U.S. attacks. He urged composure and proposed that Moscow serve as a mediator to ease tensions over Iran’s nuclear program just last week.
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Despite this offer, Iranian officials have indicated that they are dissatisfied. Iran wants Russia to move beyond words and take firmer actions to show support, especially given the threats from the United States and Israel.
Reports suggest that Putin has been cautious. He refused to discuss publicly the possibility that Washington or Tel Aviv could target Ayatollah Khamenei directly. However, he did reveal that Israel had promised Russia it would avoid harming Russian workers and specialists currently helping to build two new reactors at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant. This nuclear facility has long been a symbol of Russian-Iranian cooperation.
The Kremlin also stressed that coordination with Iran continues, with Araqchi confirming that both countries are working closely to align their positions during this tense period in the Middle East.
Russia’s Role in Iran Nuclear Crisis
Russia has long been considered a key ally of Iran. It holds an important position as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, giving it a veto power on key decisions. Russia also joined the original nuclear deal with Iran and other world powers, aiming to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.
That agreement was abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, which led to the current situation of rising nuclear tensions. Since then, Iran has resumed parts of its nuclear program, and reports say the U.S. recently targeted those very sites with strikes.
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Despite the strong historical ties, Russia’s current stance appears more cautious. Putin is currently leading his country through a difficult and ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. This major conflict may be one reason why Russia has not taken a more aggressive stance in support of Iran.
Even so, Moscow’s involvement in Iran’s nuclear development continues. Russian specialists remain on-site at nuclear facilities like Bushehr, and the two countries are working together on building more reactors. That cooperation could become more important if tensions in the region continue to rise.
So far, Russia has only provided verbal support. The world is watching to see how President Putin will respond to the direct request from Iran’s Supreme Leader, as global pressure mounts and the Middle East enters one of its most dangerous moments in years.