Lavrov brought no US message to Tehran, Iranian FM says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov enter the hall for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, February 25, 2025.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov enter the hall for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, February 25, 2025.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not deliver a message from the United States during his visit to Tehran and added that no such message was anticipated.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, Araghchi also addressed Iran’s ongoing negotiations with European countries, saying that a new round of talks began in Geneva two days ago, focusing on nuclear issues and other matters.

Earlier in the day, former lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said on X that Lavrov came to Tehran with a message: “Russia and the United States have drawn common red lines for Iran in Riyadh."

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced the revitalization of sanctions under his “maximum pressure” policy. He underlined that his main demand is for Iran never to acquire nuclear weapons.

Iran, facing a serious economic crisis, needs to reach an agreement with the Trump administration if it wants to reduce or eliminate the sanctions, but Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei this month banned talks with Washington. Iranian officials insist that they will not negotiate under Trump’s pressure.

Araghchi added that discussions with Europe would continue despite their complexities, as several key questions remain unresolved.

Regarding his talks with Lavrov, Araghchi described them as extensive, covering a wide range of bilateral and regional issues.

He added that the Russian diplomat provided a detailed report on Moscow’s negotiations with Washington and other regional players.

Lavrov’s visit to Tehran sparked speculation in Iranian media about whether he is carrying a message from Washington or pushing Moscow’s own agenda at Iran’s expense.

Iranian media, analysts, and the public had closely scrutinized recent visits by high-ranking foreign officials to Tehran, including Lavrov and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who met with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last week. These visits are widely interpreted as potential mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington or as channels for delivering messages from the Trump administration.