In a significant diplomatic move following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced on Sunday that he would travel to Moscow for urgent consultations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The high-level talks are scheduled for Monday morning, underscoring the escalating tensions in the Middle East after Washington’s direct military intervention.
The U.S. operation, which targeted the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, was described by Washington as a “necessary step” to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. These strikes marked the United States’ direct military entry into the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, following nine days of Israeli-led aerial bombardments on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
Speaking at a press conference during the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul, Araqchi vehemently condemned the U.S. airstrikes as a “gross violation of international law” and warned of serious consequences. “They have crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities,” he stated. “We will invoke our right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. We have to respond.”
Araqchi emphasized the close ties between the two nations, adding, “Russia is a friend of Iran, we always consult with each other.”
Medvedev’s Alarm-Raising Claims
In Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President and current Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, lashed out at U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of dragging the United States into another Middle East war. In a statement posted on Telegram, Medvedev wrote, “Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the U.S.“
Medvedev also downplayed the impact of the U.S. strikes, claiming they failed to inflict serious damage on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. “Critical infrastructure of the nuclear fuel cycle appears to have been unaffected or sustained only minor damage. The enrichment of nuclear material and now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons will continue,” he asserted.
In a particularly alarming remark, Medvedev claimed that “a number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,” though he did not specify which nations were allegedly prepared to take such a step. This statement is likely to heighten global concerns over a potential widening of the conflict and the risk of nuclear proliferation in the region.
As diplomatic channels race to contain the fallout, Iran’s direct engagement with the Kremlin signals a possible deepening of Tehran-Mo
