The Times: Why is Putin pushing Iran toward Trump?

On the current situation in Iran and Iranian-Russian relations, The Times published a report titled “Why is Putin pushing Tehran toward the Trump nuclear deal?” by Tom Parfitt, who said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is maintaining a delicate balance between his alliance with Iran and avoiding further conflict in the Middle East.

The report noted Moscow’s dismay at recent reports that Russia is pressuring Iran to accept an agreement that would deny it the right to enrich uranium for any purpose.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Sunday that any hint of pressure from Putin on Tehran to conclude such a nuclear agreement with the United States is part of a “dirty, politicized campaign aimed at escalating tensions around Iran’s nuclear program”.

However, informed US sources revealed to Axios website that Putin informed US President Donald Trump and Iranian officials that he supports the idea of a nuclear agreement that would prevent Iran from enriching uranium.

Four officials, three European and one Israeli, said that Moscow encouraged the Iranians to agree to the “no enrichment” condition, and that Putin expressed this position in phone calls last week with Trump and French President Macron.

The report indicates that the Iranians apparently rejected Putin’s offer.

The report explains that Russia is trying to secure its interests in the region.

The conflict in the region represents an opportunity to restore higher oil prices, which is beneficial for Russia as a major producer.

It also distracts from the ongoing attacks on Ukraine, which have been condemned by the West.

But Putin avoided offering explicit security guarantees to Iran when they agreed to a strategic partnership in January 2025, and after Israel launched strikes on Iran, Russia disappointed Tehran and offered only verbal support.

Experts said Moscow may have been pushing for an agreement out of fear that Iran could disintegrate in the event of a renewed attack, which could threaten Russian economic interests.

These include the massive investments Moscow has made over the past years, as well as its plans to build a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Iran via Azerbaijan.

Moscow also has a stalled project to help build a gas hub to export supplies to third countries.