Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent his foreign minister to Moscow on Monday to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek additional Russian assistance after the most significant US military action against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution, Reuters reported.
The newspaper noted that US President Donald Trump and Israel have been publicly speculating about Khamenei’s assassination and regime change, a move that Russia also fears could plunge the Middle East into turmoil.
“While Putin condemned the Israeli strikes, he has not yet commented on the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, although last week he called for calm and offered Moscow’s services as a mediator on the nuclear program. A senior source told Reuters that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to deliver Khamenei’s letter to Putin, asking for his support. Iran has so far been unimpressed with Russia’s support, Iranian sources told Reuters and the country wants Putin to do more to defend itself against Israel and the United States.
The sources did not elaborate on what kind of help Tehran wants. The Kremlin said Putin would receive Araghchi but did not specify what would be discussed.
