Putin meets Iran’s foreign minister in St. Petersburg

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during a visit to Russia, as Moscow and Tehran reaffirmed their strategic partnership.

The meeting took place in St. Petersburg at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library, according to Russian state media.

Senior Russian officials including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov attended, alongside Iranian representatives including Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the talks were highly significant given the evolving situation around Iran and the broader Middle East.

During the meeting, Araghchi conveyed greetings from Iran’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, and thanked Russia for its support. He said Iran’s population was defending its sovereignty amid current challenges.

Putin, in turn, praised what he described as the resilience of the Iranian people and reaffirmed Russia’s intention to continue developing strategic ties with Tehran. He also expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to tensions in the Middle East and asked Araghchi to pass on his gratitude and best wishes to Iran’s leadership.

“Dear Minister, dear friends, allow me to warmly welcome you to St. Petersburg on this occasion. I would like to begin by noting that last week I received a message from the Supreme Leader of Iran. [...] I would like to ask you to convey my most sincere gratitude for this [message from Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei] and to confirm that Russia, just like Iran, intends to continue our strategic relations. [...] “Please convey to the Supreme Leader our gratitude for this message and our best wishes for his health and well-being,” Putin said.

By Sabina Mammadli