Iran's FM Araghchi and Putin shake hands and hold a meeting in Moscow

ranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Monday and publicly thanked Moscow for its “positions and support” during Iran’s recent war with the United States.

Araghchi told Putin the conflict made clear that Iran has “great friends and allies like Russia.” He expressed gratitude and reiterated Tehran’s commitment to the relationship, stating, “we view Iran-Russia relations as a strategic partnership and that these relations will continue as strong as they were and even more so with greater strength and breadth.”

The Iranian minister also conveyed greetings from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. He highlighted Iran’s stance, declaring that “the whole world saw Iran’s true power in confronting America, and it became clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a stable, strong, and powerful system.”

Putin responded that Russia “will do what it can to support the interests of Iran and other regional countries and help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.” He added, “I hope Iranian people overcome this difficult period and that peace is restored.”

The high-level meeting, attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other senior officials, formed part of Araghchi’s three-nation diplomatic tour. It underscores Iran’s direct turn to its key backer in the Kremlin for coordinated support amid the ongoing conflict.