The Russian leader Vladimir Putin received the Iranian foreign minister in St. Petersburg
- On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin received the Iranian Foreign Minister in St. Petersburg.
- This was an opportunity to show support to Tehran and present himself as a peaceful mediator in the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran.
- Engaged in the war in Ukraine, Moscow walks a fine line to maintain its Iranian partner without provoking the White House.
He promised to do “everything”
for peace to return, “as soon as possible”
. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Araghchi, on Monday, April 27 in St. Petersburg, in the midst of a diplomatic tour to strengthen ties with supporters, amidst the fragile ceasefire with Washington. During this meeting, the Kremlin chief merely praised the “Iranian people”
for their “independence”
… without directly confronting the United States.
Indeed, since the beginning of the conflict in late February, Moscow has condemned the Israeli-American offensive against Iran. But it positions itself more as a mediator than an active supporter of the Iranian regime, despite being an important partner, having signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement last year. In recent days, Russia has even proposed to host Iranian enriched uranium on its soil in case of a peace agreement, one of the sticking points in recent weeks’ talks.
Between “discreet” support and mediation offer, a difficult balancing act
Behind this diplomatic stance lies a hidden objective: “not to upset the American president”
, as Carole Grimaud, a teacher at Aix-Marseille University and a Russia specialist, put it. She explains that until the conflict in Iran, the two countries were in a relatively harmonious phase, especially regarding the war in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has more advantages in staying in Donald Trump’s good graces than in those of the Iranian government.
Despite this, the White House has not raised its tone. In mid-March, Donald Trump deemed it “possible”
that Vladimir Putin “help a little bit”
his Iranian partner, but without much further action. “Russian support for Iran is more symbolic. There is a certain red line not to cross that could threaten American interests, like shooting down a plane with Russian material, for example,”
Carole Grimaud notes as she sees it as a real balancing act.
An enticing “financial windfall”?
However, Moscow seems to be faring well in a completely different arena: economic benefits. With the near-paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz, oil exports have plummeted, prompting Washington to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian oil. Moreover, the barrel price has soared, allowing Russia to generate significant revenue. By the end of March, specialized media Bloomberg reported that Russian oil exports had doubled in value in just three weeks, leading to unprecedented profits for the country since the start of the conflict in Ukraine.
“It’s a financial windfall, but temporary, which will not really change the situation,”
Carole Grimaud points out. “Since 2022, Russia has lost so many markets that this offers some compensation but does not predict a return to normal for the Russian economy.”
The Kremlin may be tempted to prolong the effects of this period as long as possible… by not rushing to actually bring back “peace”
to the region.
