Russia 'agreed' to broker talks between Iran and the US: Report

According to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump allegedly proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin in February to engage in dialogue with Iran regarding its nuclear program and its support for U.S. adversaries. This move suggests that the Trump administration may be seeking to establish ties with Iran through Russia. This proposal highlights a potential shift in diplomatic strategy.

Reportedly, in the days following Trump's call, members of the Trump administration discussed the matter with Russian counterparts during meetings held in Saudi Arabia in mid-February. The U.S. delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Special Envoy Steve Vitkov, while the Russian side was represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, and Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund. These discussions indicate a serious consideration of the proposed dialogue.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Bloomberg that "Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all issues through negotiations," and that Moscow is "ready to make every effort to achieve this goal." A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Bloomberg that Russia proactively offered to mediate, without being asked to play this role. This underscores Russia's willingness to facilitate communication between the U.S. and Iran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said on Monday at a televised news conference in Iran: "Given the importance of these issues, many parties may show goodwill and readiness to help resolve various issues... It is natural for countries to offer help if needed." This statement suggests Iran's openness to potential mediation efforts from various international actors.

This unexpected shift is part of Trump's attempt to normalize relations with Russia, which deteriorated sharply after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump is taking a more moderate approach towards Russia and Iran in his second term. The exclusion of Ukraine from talks with Russia is seen as a signal that the U.S. hopes to fundamentally change the direction of the war in Ukraine.

Although Trump has reinstated the "maximum pressure" policy against Iran that his first administration pursued, this time Trump has indicated his willingness to engage in dialogue with Iran and is more inclined to reach an agreement rather than pursue military confrontation. In 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal, which was a landmark foreign policy achievement of the Obama administration. This reflects a change in Trump's approach to resolving the Iranian nuclear issue.

Ryan Costello, policy director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), stated that mediation between Iran and the United States is "urgently needed" to bring both countries back to the negotiating table. Costello added in a statement that the current "trajectory" between the two countries is heading towards war and nuclear proliferation. Russia has previously mediated or cooperated on issues involving Iran and the United States during the Biden and Obama administrations.

The appointments within the Trump administration also suggest a more restrained approach towards Iran. Trump's decision to invite Russia to the talks may be partly due to the fact that Russia and Iran are strategic and military allies. The two countries signed a 20-year "strategic partnership" treaty this January, covering areas such as defense, technology, energy, and trade. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has forged closer ties with Iran, as well as China and North Korea.