Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Monday, seeking diplomatic support after US-Iran peace negotiations broke down. The Kremlin said the meeting was arranged urgently at Iran’s request.

Why it matters: Russia’s explicit backing raises the cost of any future deal. For BRICS member states including South Africa, the visit signals that the Iran war is hardening into a bloc-versus-bloc standoff that will keep oil prices elevated and fuel costs rising across the Global South.

What Putin said

Putin praised Iran’s resistance, telling Araghchi: “We see how courageously and heroically the Iranian people are fighting for their independence and sovereignty.” He added that Russia would “do everything that serves your interests so that peace can be achieved as soon as possible.”

Araghchi described the relationship as a strategic partnership and said ties would continue to strengthen. According to Iran’s foreign ministry, Araghchi briefed Russian officials on the progress of diplomatic efforts mediated by Pakistan.

The diplomatic circuit

Araghchi’s Russia visit capped an intense weekend of regional diplomacy. He visited Pakistan and Oman before arriving in St Petersburg. The flurry of travel came after Iran submitted a proposal to the US via Pakistani mediators to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and defer nuclear negotiations.

The US has demanded Iran suspend uranium enrichment for at least a decade and remove enriched material from the country. Iran’s proposal made no concessions on enrichment.

The BRICS dimension

Russia and Iran are both members of the expanded BRICS bloc, which India chairs in 2026. The meeting highlights how BRICS diplomatic channels have become an alternative forum for conflict mediation, outside the UN Security Council framework where Western nations hold veto power.

For South Africa, which chaired BRICS in 2023, the stakes are direct. The Hormuz blockade has disrupted 20 percent of global oil trade for nine weeks. South African diesel prices are set for a record R8 per litre hike in May, according to the Central Energy Fund.

What happens next

President Trump is reviewing Iran’s Hormuz proposal with advisers but appears unlikely to accept it without nuclear concessions. Araghchi is expected to continue consultations in Moscow before returning to Tehran. The next window for direct talks remains unclear, with Pakistan’s mediation role now uncertain after Trump cancelled envoy trips last week.