Mon Jun 23 16:01:43 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:

**Summary:**

Following significant U.S. military action against Iran, the Iranian Supreme Leader has dispatched his Foreign Minister to Moscow to request increased support from Russia. This move comes after public speculation from the U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel about regime change and the potential assassination of the Ayatollah. While Russia has condemned Israeli strikes, its response to the U.S. actions on Iranian nuclear sites has been muted. Iran seeks stronger backing from Russia against the U.S. and Israel. Putin, preoccupied with the ongoing war in Ukraine and seeking improved relations with the U.S., is hesitant to engage in a direct confrontation with the U.S. over Iran.

**News Article:**

**Iran Seeks Russian Support After US Military Action; Putin Hesitant to Confront Trump**

**ISTANBUL/MOSCOW – June 23, 2025** – In the wake of the largest U.S. military action against Iran since the 1979 revolution, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has sent his Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, to Moscow on Monday to seek increased support from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The move comes amid heightened tensions, with U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel publicly discussing regime change in Iran and even the potential elimination of Ayatollah Khamenei. Russia fears that further destabilization of West Asia.

While Putin has condemned recent Israeli strikes, he has yet to comment on the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. While he has called for calm and offered Moscow’s services as a mediator regarding the Iranian nuclear program, Iranian sources are reportedly unimpressed with the level of support received thus far.

Foreign Minister Araghchi is carrying a letter from Khamenei to Putin, urging him to bolster support against both Israel and the United States. The specific nature of the assistance sought remains undisclosed.

The Kremlin confirmed that Putin would meet with Araghchi, but provided no details on the agenda. Russia’s state news agency TASS quoted Araghchi stating that Iran and Russia are coordinating their positions on the current escalation in the Middle East.

Russia, a long-standing ally of Iran, is a key player in ongoing nuclear negotiations with the West, holding a veto on the UN Security Council. However, Putin, currently facing a protracted war of attrition in Ukraine and keen on repairing ties with Trump, appears reluctant to engage in a direct confrontation with the U.S. over Iran. The situation presents a delicate balancing act for Putin, as he navigates his relationships with both Tehran and Washington.

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