Russian President Vladimir holds nuclear talks with senior advisor to Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Sky News AU

20-07-2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks with a senior advisor to Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over Tehran's nuclear program and conflicts in the Middle East.
Iran's nuclear program has been the subject of intense scrutiny following its 12-day with Israel, which culminated with the United States launching a series of strikes against Tehran.
US officials have since insisted Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated" in the attacks, although reports have since raised doubts over that claim.
In the aftermath of the conflict, Russia has offered to act as a mediator between the US and Iran with regard to Tehran's nuclear ambitions, although US President Donald Trump has said he is not interested in holding talks.
In the meantime, Iran has rejected pleas from the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, for inspectors to visit sites struck by the US and assess the state of its nuclear program.
The lack of cooperation has done little to dispel fears Tehran could still posses highly enriched uranium which could be used to produce a bomb or that the regime could soon restart production of nuclear materials.
Sunday's (local time) meeting between President Putin and Ali Larijani is likely to raise further concerns, especially given the nature of the talks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state outlet RIA the pair discussed Iran's nuclear program, as well as ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Russia has previously been accused of assisting Tehran with developing its nuclear program, including the potential manufacture of weapons, although Mr Peskov said President Putin favoured a political resolution to the current situation.
The conversation and any resulting actions are nonetheless likely to be closely monitored by Israel, which has suggested it would not hesitate to break the current ceasefire with Iran should a new threat arise.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared earlier this month Israel would employ "greater force" against Tehran if it threatened its sovereignty or citizens than the attacks its launched during the two nations' brief conflict.
"Israel's long arm will reach you in Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, and anywhere you try to threaten or harm Israel. There is no place to hide," he said.
"If we must return, we will do so with greater force."
It was not immediately clear what Mr Katz defined as a threat to Israel, although it is likely any resumption of Tehran's nuclear program would likely be deemed worth of a response.
Estimates over how far back Tehran's uranium enrichment program and other nuclear goals have been set back continues to be a subject of debate.
US officials claim Iran's nuclear ambitions have been set back years, possibly decades, while others, including the IAEA, have suggested a timeline of months.
With Reuters