Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi Holds Talks with Putin in Saint Petersburg

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg on April 27, 2026, as talks between Iran and the United States remain at a standstill. Putin praised the Iranian people as 'courageously and heroically fighting for their sovereignty' during the meeting, according to Russia's state-run RIA news agency.

Putin also said he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week prior to April 27, 2026.

Araghchi thanked Moscow for its support of Tehran and praised the relations between Iran and Russia. The meeting included Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, chief of Russian military intelligence Igor Kostyukov, and Putin aide Yuri Ushakov. Araghchi was accompanied by the deputy head of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Kazem Gharibabadi, and Tehran’s envoy to Russia, Kazem Jalali.

Araghchi landed at Saint Petersburg on April 27, 2026, and stated at Pulkovo Airport that his trip aims to resume consultations between Tehran and Moscow on regional and international developments derailed by the US-Israel war that erupted on Feb. 28.

Araghchi added at the airport that the visit would review the latest developments in the war. This marks Araghchi's first visit to Russia since the war began, with his last trip to Moscow occurring in December 2015.

Russia and Iran have strengthened military and economic ties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In a $1.7 billion deal signed in late 2022, Iran agreed to supply Russia with hundreds of drones for its offensive against Ukraine. Although Moscow has refrained from engaging directly in the war, which is now suspended under a ceasefire, it has provided military support to Iran.

“We have a technical-military cooperation agreement, and within that framework, we have provided military equipment to Iran,” Lavrov said in an interview with France TV last month, without specifying the type of equipment. However, he denied a report by the Wall Street Journal that Moscow was sharing with Tehran satellite and intelligence on the locations of US warships and aircraft in the region.

Araghchi visited Pakistan over the weekend prior to April 27, 2026, and Oman over the weekend prior to April 27, 2026. Pakistan has been involved in mediation efforts between Iran and the US.

In Muscat on Sunday prior to April 27, 2026, Araghchi met with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said and Omani Foreign Minister Badr AlBusaidi. Araghchi stated on April 27, 2026, in Russia that it was necessary to discuss the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

AlBusaidi praised his talks with Araghchi in a post on X Sunday, adding, “As littoral states, we recognize our shared responsibility to the international community and the urgent humanitarian need to free the seafarers held for far too long.

The Iranian minister also spoke about the ongoing mediation efforts with his Saudi, Qatari and French counterparts in separate phone conversations on Sunday. Later on Sunday, Araghchi returned to Pakistan before departing for Russia. Maritime traffic across the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted due to Iran’s de facto closure of the waterway and a US blockade as of April 27, 2026.

Two regional officials told the Associated Press on April 27, 2026, that Iran has suggested reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its blockade on the country and ending the war. Iran’s proposal was discussed between Iranian and Pakistani officials over the weekend prior to April 27, 2026, and passed on to the US.

Iran’s proposal includes putting off negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program to a later stage, according to the two regional officials.

President Trump canceled a planned trip by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad on Saturday prior to April 27, 2026. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday prior to April 27, 2026, “I just canceled the trip of my representatives going [to] Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians.

Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! ’ Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! ” Later, Trump told Fox News that if Iran wanted talks, “they can come to us, or they can call us,” though he said he did not intend to resume the fighting with Iran.

President Trump indefinitely extended a two-week ceasefire that was announced on April 8 last week prior to April 27, 2026. Representatives from Iran and the US held one round of talks in Islamabad on April 11-12, 2026. The talks between Iran and the US on April 11-12, 2026, failed to reach an agreement, with differences centered on the Strait of Hormuz, the US blockade of Iranian ports, and Iran’s right to uranium enrichment.

The war is suspended under a ceasefire as of April 27, 2026. Iran launched hundreds of drone and missile attacks at Gulf countries in response to joint US-Israeli strikes since the onset of the war.