Iran intensifies diplomacy with Russia and Gulf states as Trump threatens strikes

Iran has stepped up diplomatic efforts amid suggestions by United States President Donald Trump that the US could resume full-scale strikes on Iran, Al Jazeera reported. The US news website Axios quoted a US official saying that US Central Command (CENTCOM) was preparing for the resumption of major military operations in Iran, and that it was just waiting on orders from Washington. On Thursday, Trump told reporters the US may have to “destroy” the rest of Iran, adding that people will “know soon enough” if he acts.

Diplomacy with Russia and the Gulf

On Thursday, Iran’s top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, travelled to Moscow for talks and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to deliver a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Iranian state media did not elaborate on the contents of the message. Rezaei called it “an extremely important exchange” according to remarks reported by the Iranian embassy, but also did not give further details.

Rezaei said: “On the issue of diplomacy, we have announced seven conditions to the Americans. As long as they do not execute our seven conditions, we will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor have negotiations.”

The meeting also strengthened Iran’s economic ties with Russia. “During the meeting with Mr Vladimir Putin, discussions were held regarding the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran,” said Rezaei, Iranian state TV reported. He said the gas pipelines would address Iran’s gas shortages and facilitate the sale of Russian energy to neighbouring countries.

Separately, Russia’s Foreign Ministry advised citizens against travel to Iran “In light of the remaining risks of a new escalation around Iran”.

Senior Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any state helping the US to target the Islamic republic will be a “legitimate target” should US attacks resume. On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held phone calls with several Gulf leaders, including the foreign minister of the UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. They discussed regional developments as well as diplomatic efforts for stability in the region, according to Araghchi’s Telegram channel.

Araghchi spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud about efforts to improve security and stability in the region, according to the Saudi foreign ministry. Araghchi also discussed de-escalation efforts with the foreign ministers of Kuwait and Turkiye. In a separate call, Araghchi talked with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani about coordinating to reduce tensions, the Qatari foreign ministry said. Sheikh Mohammed stressed support for efforts to secure freedom of maritime navigation.

In a statement, Oman’s foreign ministry said the safety of passage through the Strait of Hormuz was a main topic of discussions, in a call between Araghchi and Oman’s foreign minister.

Qatari proposal and Trump’s position

Qatar, the lead mediator in the US-Iran conflict, is seeking to persuade Tehran to allow UN nuclear weapons inspectors to visit Iran’s bombed nuclear sites, including those housing the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, The Guardian reported. Iran would not be required to make any commitment that the stockpile would be removed from the country, with other options on the table, including reducing the uranium content by down-blending it.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, spoke to Donald Trump about the proposal, the emir’s office said on Friday without revealing the call’s contents. The state news agency said the emir “emphasised the importance of continuing dialogue and embracing diplomacy as a means of resolving disputes, preventing further escalation in the region”.

Under the Qatar proposal, the US would immediately lift the naval blockade on Iran in the strait of Hormuz and release a portion of the $8bn (£6bn) of its frozen assets. In return, Iran would agree to visits by International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to its bombed nuclear facilities, based on a previous abandoned agreement that had been reached in Cairo in September 2025. Iran would open the strait of Hormuz on the second day, via a route it has already negotiated with Oman that they would jointly lodge with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Iran has multiple other preconditions for opening the strait including ending the war in Lebanon, a withdrawal of US forces from the Iranian coastline, a commitment to lift some economic sanctions, and agreement to pay war reparations. The sequencing of these commitments has been at the heart of the mediation.

Trump is still considering whether to mount a further assault on Iranian nuclear sites, though the credibility of his threats is weaker inside Iran after his vice-president, JD Vance, said the war itself, and not just its cost to American consumers, was critical to the collapse of the Republican vote in the US midterms.

Why it matters

• Iran has intensified diplomacy with Russia and Gulf states while warning it will retaliate if the US resumes larger strikes.
• Qatar is mediating a proposal under which Iran would allow UN nuclear inspectors to visit bombed nuclear sites in exchange for sanctions relief and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
• Trump has not ruled out further strikes on Iran, saying the US may have to “destroy” the rest of Iran.

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Sources

• aljazeera.com: Russia to UAE, Iran steps up diplomacy amid Trump threats: What we know | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera
• theguardian.com: Strait of Hormuz could reopen as part of Qatari plan for Iran nuclear inspections | Iran | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.