Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iran's Foreign Minister, expressing support for Iran's sovereignty and efforts to resolve the Middle East crisis amid stalled U.S. negotiations.
On 28 April 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Saint Petersburg, Russia, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the unresolved war involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
The Russian leader praised the Iranian people for their brave fight for sovereignty and affirmed that Russia will do everything possible to protect the interests of Iran and regional countries to promote peace in the Middle East.
Abbas Araghchi expressed gratitude for Russia's support, noting that this visit is part of a tour to several countries in the region to coordinate with allies amid tensions with the U.S. and Israel.
During the visit, Araghchi met with senior Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Military Intelligence Director Igor Kostyukov.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the talks are critically important for Iran and the Middle East situation. Meanwhile, direct U.S.-Iran negotiations remain stalled after President Donald Trump ordered the cancellation of sending a representative to Pakistan, saying Iran can call anytime if it wants to negotiate. Iran insists direct talks are meaningless if the U.S. continues its naval blockade of Iranian ports and ongoing regional attacks.
Source: AFP