Iran’s Foreign Minister Heading for Moscow Talks with Putin
Iran’s foreign minister will head to Moscow late Sunday night to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the wake of U.S. strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
The Daily Telegraph reports Abbas Araghchi confirmed Iran “reserves all options to defend its security, its interests, its people…All options are on the table” while applauding Russia as “a friend of Iran.”
The report notes Araghchi said he will speak to Iran’s key ally on how to proceed. “We always consult with each other,” he added in a press conference in Istanbul.
The trip comes after President Donald Trump announced Saturday evening the U.S. had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran and “obliterated” the targets. He called on Iran to seek peace.
Trump: Iran Nuke Sites ‘Completely Obliterated’
Trump confirmed he deployed B-2 bombers to strike Iran’s three principal nuclear sites, in what he called a “very successful attack” against Tehran’s uranium enrichment sites.
The world is bracing for Iran’s pledged retaliation. Araghchi earlier said there would be “everlasting consequences” for the U.S. strikes.
His visit to Russia will raise significant concerns over what kind of support Moscow is willing to offer Tehran at this moment, which could include sending defence materials, getting involved directly militarily or throwing diplomatic weight behind Iran, the Telegraph report stated.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has already warned the U.S. to “expect regrettable responses” to its strikes.
