Russia has agreed to assist President Donald Trump’s administration in communicating with Iran on critical issues, including its nuclear program and support for anti-U.S. proxy groups in the region.
Trump personally conveyed this request to President Vladimir Putin during a phone call in February. Days later, senior U.S. officials discussed it with their Russian counterparts in meetings held in Saudi Arabia, according to Bloomberg.
Moscow and Tehran’s Responses
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Bloomberg that Russia believes the U.S. and Iran should resolve all disputes through negotiations. He added that Moscow is ready to help in any way possible.
Asked whether Russia had officially offered to mediate, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said such offers are “natural.”
“Given the importance of these matters, many parties will likely show goodwill and a willingness to assist,” said ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai during a televised news conference in Tehran on Monday. The ministry declined to answer further questions from Bloomberg.
Trump’s Iran Policy: Sanctions or a New Deal?
Since returning to office six weeks ago, Trump has sought to restore relations with Putin, which the U.S. severed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Trump has attempted to negotiate directly with Putin to end the war—including a phone call on Feb. 12—both sides have also shown interest in cooperating on other global issues, such as trade routes and Arctic resources.
Senior U.S. and Russian officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, met in Riyadh on Feb. 18 to discuss Washington’s interest in working with Moscow on Iran-related matters. Sources familiar with the situation, who spoke anonymously due to the meeting’s confidential nature, confirmed this discussion.
Lavrov later briefed his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, about the meeting during a visit to Tehran, Araghchi confirmed at a press conference.
Since taking office, Trump has sent mixed signals to Iran. He has vowed to reinstate his “maximum pressure” strategy, which previously included sanctions and targeted actions against Iran’s security forces. This approach led to the assassination of a top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during his first term. However, Trump has also expressed interest in negotiating a “verified nuclear peace deal with Iran.”
Will Tehran Accept a Russia-Brokered U.S. Initiative?
Under heavy U.S. sanctions, Russia and Iran have expanded their trade, energy, and security ties, including Moscow’s use of Iranian drones in Ukraine.
However, Iran’s willingness to accept a U.S. overture brokered by Moscow remains uncertain. Hardliners, who dominate key institutions such as the Revolutionary Guard and the judiciary, openly oppose any cooperation with Washington.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently declared that Trump cannot be trusted, citing his withdrawal from the Obama-era nuclear deal. He insisted that Iran would not be forced into negotiations.
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, a reformist who supports renewing the nuclear deal, stated last week that while he believes in engagement with the U.S., he will stand by Khamenei’s stance as long as economic sanctions remain in place.
Seeking Diplomatic Channels
Despite public posturing, both the U.S. and Iran continue to explore indirect communication channels that could lead to negotiations, said Nikolai Kozhanov, a foreign policy analyst at Qatar University.
“Any potential agreement between the U.S. and Iran will be complex,” he noted. “It could involve a partial easing of U.S. sanctions in exchange for Iran scaling back its regional influence.”
The U.S. has long suspected Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a front for military ambitions. Tehran has repeatedly denied these claims, asserting that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes, including power generation, with partial funding from Russia.
On Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged both nations to begin formal talks. The agency has been in close discussions with the White House following reports that Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade fissile material has surged by over 50% since Trump’s re-election.
Meanwhile, Iran’s economy remains under immense strain due to U.S. sanctions imposed during both the Trump and Biden administrations. Domestic pressure to provide relief is growing.
At the same time, Tehran remains locked in a cold war with Washington’s closest ally, Israel. Iranian officials have pledged to continue their struggle, even as Israeli military actions weaken key Iran-backed groups, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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