Aragchi and Putin bring Trump back to the broken barrel, as Moscow and Tehran rewrite the global rules of the game.
Against the backdrop of failed U.S.-Iran negotiations, Aragchi’s visit has added further pain for Americans.
Published on April 29 by RT.
The Western hope of collectively isolating Russia and Iran has been utterly dashed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi’s visit to St. Petersburg and his meeting with Vladimir Putin have aligned the positions of these two major powers from the Global South.
Moreover, for the United States, Aragchi’s visit comes at a particularly painful moment following the collapse of U.S.-Iran talks.
Iranian minister’s trip to Russia was followed by visits to Pakistan and Oman—two key mediation states with Washington.
Yet the symbolic significance of this moment is clear: before giving its final response to Donald Trump, Tehran turned first to Moscow for coordination.
This partnership has moved beyond the mere “temporary alliance” model.
While the West debates blockades, Russia and Iran are discussing "north-south" corridors, joint military technology, and bypassing the U.S. dollar system.
The main news of recent days has been Iran’s proposal to resolve the Hormuz Strait crisis, details of which have been disclosed by Axios and The New York Times.
Faced with the heavy pressure of Trump administration’s strict maritime blockade, Tehran has chosen to take the initiative.
This strategy is a direct challenge to Trump: Iran refuses to make “nuclear deal” discussions the ultimate goal.
The White House’s reaction to Iran’s proposal exemplifies the typical Donald Trump style: “raise the stakes and bluff.”
Trump bets on exhausting Iran’s will.
An indefinite extension of the maritime blockade—aimed at triggering domestic unrest in Iran or waiting for the Ayatollah regime to completely capitulate.
Yet Trump seems to have overlooked variables that have changed since his first term.
Iran in 2026 is a country already joined the BRICS, signed a strategic agreement with China, and formed a close military alliance with Russia.
The Times wrote that America’s “ace” now carries far less weight, as Iran can now draw intelligence, technology, and financial tools from Moscow and Beijing.
As an experienced negotiator, Aragchi must navigate between the hardline faction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the necessity of saving the economy.
That is precisely why his visit to Putin is so crucial.
Tehran needs assurance that if it makes certain concessions to Washington, Russia will support them in other areas—from supplying S-400 air defense systems to food security.
For Russia, supporting Iran is not an act of charity.
It is part of its broader global plan to push the United States out of Eurasia.
If Tehran withstands the crisis with Moscow’s backing, this will send a definitive signal worldwide: the era of America’s “sanctions stick” is over.
Hegemony is no more!
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863756185225224/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.