Kremlin Denies Reports About Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Sending Message to Putin

Earlier Reuters report claiming that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a message from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Russian President Vladimir Putin are not true, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Московский_Кремль,_вид_с_Дома_на_набережной.jpg by Semyon Borisov

Moscow Kremlin

According to the Kremlin representative, the Iranian foreign minister did not deliver any written document to the Russian leader.

According to Peskov, while diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Tehran remains active, there was no formal transmission of a written letter or document from Khamenei to Putin during Araghchi’s recent visit to Moscow (on June 23).

“There were indeed certain communications or signals — let’s put it that way — from the Iranian leadership,” Peskov stated. “However, the specific report from Reuters does not reflect the reality of what occurred.”

The Reuters article had suggested that Iran was reaching out directly to the Kremlin amid heightened regional tensions and in the wake of intensified hostilities with Israel and the United States. The alleged message from Khamenei was said to contain strategic requests or warnings, though the exact contents were never independently verified.

Peskov’s comments appear aimed at dispelling any perception that Iran is seeking to formally enlist Russia’s direct intervention or mediation through an official diplomatic communiqué from its supreme leadership.

This development comes at a time when the geopolitical situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile, with the recent Iran–Israel ceasefire only just taking effect and continued concerns in Moscow over the broader regional destabilization.

While Russia has maintained open channels of communication with both Tehran and Tel Aviv, it has thus far refrained from overtly backing either party, instead advocating for restraint and a return to negotiations.

The denial also reflects the Kremlin’s cautious approach to managing its image as a neutral yet influential actor in Middle Eastern diplomacy — one that values strategic cooperation with Iran but seeks to avoid being drawn into its conflicts, especially those with Western powers.

In the meantime, Peskov confirmed that Russian and Iranian officials continue to consult on a wide range of issues, including regional security, energy cooperation, and multilateral dialogue formats such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS.

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Abbas Araghchi (born 5 December 1962) is an Iranian diplomat and politician, who has served as the foreign minister of Iran since August 2024. He previously served as the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as the Iranian Ambassador to Finland and to Japan.