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Putin meets Iran’s top diplomat, commits to deep ties

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by Laura Kelly - 04/27/26 11:19 AM ET

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by Laura Kelly - 04/27/26 11:19 AM ET

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Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow on Monday, with the two countries reaffirming their deep ties and pledging to work together amid Tehran’s war with the U.S. and Israel.

Putin said Moscow “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran, Russian state-owned media TASS reported, adding that Russia is ready to do everything in its power to achieve peace in the Middle East.

Putin also said he had received a message from Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who reportedly was injured and disfigured from the initial U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran’s leadership. Those attacks killed Khamenei’s father and the previous Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

The Russian leader asked Araghchi to convey to the supreme leader his “gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being.”

Putin, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed amid Russia’s war against Ukraine, also noted that the Iranian people are fighting “courageously and heroically” for their sovereignty and that Iran will get through “this difficult period of trials and that peace will come,” TASS reported.

Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop “regardless of circumstances,” TASS reported.

Araghchi traveled to Russia after snubbing requests to meet with U.S. officials in Pakistan for talks to end the more than two-month war. Araghchi was in Islamabad last week, where he reportedly delivered Iran’s terms for ending the war through Pakistani intermediaries.

Axios reported that Iran offered to end its stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz but postponed discussions over its nuclear program.

President Trump had prepared for his top envoys to travel to Islamabad to meet with Araghchi but canceled the trip after the Iranian foreign minister signaled that Iran was not willing to meet.

Trump has said Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and said he launched the war with Israel to prevent Tehran from having a bomb. After holding back his top officials from traveling to Pakistan, Trump implored Iran that “If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” in a post on his social media site Truth Social.

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