Russia has agreed to facilitate communication between the US and Iran on key geopolitical issues, including Tehran’s nuclear program and its support for anti-US proxies in the region, as per a Bloomberg report.
President Donald Trump personally conveyed this interest to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call in February, and senior officials from both governments discussed the matter further at a meeting in Saudi Arabia days later, the report said citing sources.
While these discussions are still in their early stages, it remains uncertain whether they will lead to substantive negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
However, the report quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating “Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations” and that Moscow “is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, when asked whether Russia had offered to mediate, responded that it was “natural” for countries to extend their assistance in such matters.
“Given the significance of these matters, it’s possible that many parties will show goodwill and readiness to help with various problems,” he said during a televised press conference in Tehran.
Russia-US cooperation expands amid Trump’s outreach to Putin
Since taking office, Trump has sought to re-establish diplomatic relations with Russia, which had been largely severed following Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
As part of this effort, Trump has prioritized direct negotiations with Putin, including a phone call on February 12 aimed at brokering a resolution to the ongoing war.
This broader diplomatic push has also opened the door for cooperation on other geopolitical concerns, including Arctic trade routes and natural resource management.
Against this backdrop, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Washington’s interest in Russia’s assistance on Iran-related matters during a February 18 meeting in Riyadh.
Following those talks, Lavrov relayed details of the US request to Iranian officials, including his counterpart Abbas Araghchi, during a subsequent meeting in Tehran.
Araghchi later confirmed in a televised press conference that Iran was made aware of Washington’s interest through Russia.
Iran’s nuclear program and Russia’s role
The US has long accused Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover for developing nuclear weapons.
Tehran has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, including energy production.
Russia has played a key role in financing and supporting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
While Moscow and Tehran have deepened economic and military cooperation in recent years—particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—the extent to which Iran will welcome Russian mediation in its dealings with the US remains unclear.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority on foreign policy decisions, has previously dismissed diplomatic overtures from Trump, calling him “untrustworthy” due to his decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal and impose further sanctions on Iran.
Last month, Khamenei reiterated that Tehran would not be pressured into negotiations.
The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has urged Washington and Tehran to engage in direct talks, confirming that it has held high-level discussions with the White House regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
This follows a recent report warning that Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium has increased by more than 50% since Trump’s election.
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