Iran foreign minister to meet key ally Putin

MOSCOW - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was due to hold “important” talks with key ally Vladimir Putin on June 23, 48 hours after a

major US attack on Iran’s key nuclear facilities

.

Moscow is a crucial backer of Tehran, but has not swung forcefully behind its partner since Israel launched a wave of attacks on June 13, strikes that triggered Iran to respond with missiles and drones.

While Russia

condemned the Israeli and US strikes

, it has not offered military help and has downplayed its obligations under a sweeping strategic partnership agreement signed with Tehran just months ago.

“In this new dangerous situation... our consultations with Russia can certainly be of great importance,” Russian state media reported Mr Araghchi as saying after landing in Moscow.

The official IRNA news agency reported on June 22 that Mr Araghchi would “hold consultations with the president and other senior officials of Russia regarding regional and international developments following the military aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran”.

Mr Putin initially pitched himself as a

possible mediator between Iran and Israel

, but on June 20, said he was only “suggesting ideas”, after US President Donald Trump pushed back against a role for the Kremlin leader.

“We are by no means seeking to act as a mediator, we are simply suggesting ideas,” Mr Putin said at an economic forum in St Petersburg.

“If they turn out to be attractive to both sides, we will only be happy,” he added.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on June 21 condemned the US strikes as “irresponsible”, after having previously warned against military intervention. AFP