Putin, Araghchi to meet in Moscow, ‘coordinate’ position following US strikes

Tehran's strategic treaty with Moscow does not include a promise of mutual defense  

News Desk - The Cradle 

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on 22 June that he will travel to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin amid escalating tensions following US airstrikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure. The visit, he said, aims to coordinate political positions and reinforce Tehran's strategic ties with Moscow.

"I will head to Moscow to meet President Putin; Russia is a friend of Iran, and we have a strategic partnership," Araghchi declared during a press conference in Tehran. The statement follows the latest wave of conflict triggered by US President Donald Trump's decision to bomb Iran's nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan early Sunday morning.

Despite Iran's appeals for global support, Russia has signaled it will not provide military backing. The Kremlin condemned Israel's actions and expressed condolences for Iranian casualties, but clarified that its recently signed strategic treaty with Iran does not include a mutual defense clause.

The BRICS economic alliance, of which Iran and Russia are members, has not issued a statement in support of the Islamic Republic or condemned Israel's attacks.

In his remarks, Araghchi described the US strikes as a blatant violation of international law: "This is not merely a US attack on our facilities – it is an assassination of international law." He continued, "We have a wide range of options to respond to the American aggression against Iran."

The Iranian official emphasized that Iran would not return to diplomacy under current conditions. "It is illogical to ask Iran to return to diplomacy after this path was blown up by Israel and the United States," he said. "Everyone must understand that we pursued diplomacy, but the United States and the Zionist regime launched aggressive attacks on Iran."

Trump hailed Sunday's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities as a decisive success. "We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan … All planes are safely on their way home," Trump posted on social media.

"The United States has proven it holds no respect for the UN Charter," Araghchi warned. "Iran does not possess nuclear weapons, yet it is under attack by nuclear-armed powers. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is no longer protecting us—this poses a dangerous challenge."