TEHRAN – Ali Larijani, senior adviser to Iran’s Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, held talks on nuclear affairs with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday, according to the Kremlin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated the high-level discussions focused on the “escalating situation” in West Asia and developments surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

According to Peskov, Larijani conveyed Tehran’s assessment of regional tensions and nuclear challenges, while Putin reiterated Moscow’s commitment to stabilizing the region through political solutions.

The meeting, not previously disclosed on either government’s official agenda, yielded no immediate public details beyond Peskov’s brief statement.

The consultation between Larijani and Putin highlighted the ongoing diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Moscow, set against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions following the Israeli regime’s U.S.-backed 12-day military campaign against Iran, which resulted in the martyrdom of over 1,060 Iranians, including civilians, scientists, and military commanders.

President Putin has condemned Israel’s military aggression as "categorically unacceptable" and a violation of the U.N. Charter.

However, when asked about the possibility of providing defensive aid to Iran during a news conference on June 20, amid Israeli aggression against Iran, Putin redirected the audience’s attention to “the fact that almost two million Russian-speaking people live in Israel,” adding that “it is almost a Russian-speaking country today.”

Russia, a principal signatory to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has said it is willing to play a mediating role between Tehran and Washington.

The Putin-Larijani meeting follows Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s diplomatic mission to Moscow hours before the announcement of a halt in fighting between Iran and the Israeli regime.

Araghchi delivered a personal message from Ayatollah Khamenei to Putin, coming just one day after the U.S. joined Israel in launching coordinated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, targeting key sites such as Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Russian-Iranian relations have continued to evolve since the ratification of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement in early 2024.

Signed during President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Moscow and approved by both parliaments, the treaty established a framework for cooperation in security, trade, transport, and energy.

It also included provisions for collaboration in areas such as science, education, and culture, indicating a mutual interest in strengthening bilateral ties.