Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday (October 20, 2026)that Russia and Iran have “never” worked so closely, as Moscow seeks to play a mediating role in the Middle East war.
Mr.
Lavrov said ahead of the visit that Moscow’s efforts “aimed at preventing the return of a large-scale war”, with talks stalled between the United States and Iran. His visit came after Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian this month that Moscow was prepared to contribute to mediation efforts.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said ahead of Mr. Lavrov’s visit to Iran that discussions were expected to focus on “ways to resolve the acute international crisis triggered by the unlawful aggression of the U.S. and Israel” against the Islamic republic. The Ministry said the war had been a blow to stability and security “not only in the near and West Asia, but also on a global scale”.
