In a dramatic turn of events, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow on Sunday for high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin — a visit that comes less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump called for Iran to “make peace” following devastating U.S. strikes on three key nuclear facilities.
The timing of the trip is no coincidence. Iran’s outreach to its most powerful ally signals that, despite Trump’s appeal for negotiations, Tehran may be preparing a hardened response — and possibly an even deeper strategic alignment with Moscow.
According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, Araghchi landed in the Russian capital to coordinate with Kremlin officials after the U.S. bombardments, which reportedly involved stealth B-2 bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles aimed at Iran’s nuclear enrichment infrastructure in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Trump, in a nationally televised address late Saturday, declared the strikes a “spectacular military success” but also extended an olive branch to Iran, saying the regime was now “backed into a corner” and must “make peace” or face even stronger consequences. It was a calculated message: overwhelming military force paired with a diplomatic offer.
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