Iran, Russia have never worked so closely, says Araghchi amid Middle East war

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has declared that Russia and Iran have never worked together as closely as they have in the current Middle East war. Araghchi welcomed his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Iran on Monday, marking his first visit since the war began. During their discussions, they touched on a wide range of topics including Europe, West Asia, Lebanon, Palestine, Ukraine, and Yemen. They also emphasized the expansion of economic and nuclear cooperation.

Araghchi made the strong assertion that this level of collaboration had never been seen in Iran-Russia relations. Lavrov had previously stated that Russia's goal is to prevent the re-emergence of a large-scale war, with talks currently stalled between the US and Iran. Lavrov's visit came after Russian President Vladimir Putin informed his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Moscow was prepared to contribute to mediation efforts.

Both Iran and Russia, two of the most heavily sanctioned nations globally, share close ties. The Middle East war erupted in February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Attempts at a ceasefire in April and a US-Iran memorandum of understanding in June have not halted the fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran asserts control over the crucial waterway, through which one-fifth of global oil passes typically, and frequently targets ships that bypass without its authorization.

In response, the US has maintained a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The Russian foreign ministry, ahead of Lavrov's visit, stated that discussions would focus on resolving the crisis sparked by the US and Israel's unlawful aggression against Iran. The ministry emphasized that the war has inflicted damage not only on stability and security in the region, but on a global scale as well.