Reeling from major U.S. military strikes over the weekend, Iran dispatched its foreign minister to Moscow on Monday with a direct appeal to President Vladimir Putin for stronger support. The move signals Tehran’s urgent need for backing from its most powerful ally in the face of escalating pressure from Washington and Israel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is reportedly carrying a personal letter from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to sources, Tehran has been unimpressed with Moscow’s response so far and wants Russia to provide more substantial backing against the United States and Israel. While the Kremlin confirmed the meeting, it remained tight-lipped on the agenda.
Russia finds itself in a delicate position. Putin has previously condemned Israeli actions and offered to mediate the nuclear dispute. Still, he has yet to comment on the direct U.S. attacks. Moscow fears that U.S. and Israeli rhetoric about regime change could plunge the entire Middle East into chaos.
As a key ally and a signatory to the original nuclear deal, Russia has significant interests in the region’s stability, including the safety of its specialists helping to build Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant. Now, Tehran is forcing Moscow to decide how far it is willing to go to defend its partner.
