Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly set to make Russian President Vladimir Putin his first international contact — either through a phone call or an in-person meeting — according to an Iranian source cited in Russian state media on Saturday, 18 July. The report underscores the depth of the Iran-Russia strategic alignment at a moment of acute regional turbulence.

What the Iranian Source Said

'Russia is a country close to us, and His Excellency [Vladimir] Putin is a close friend of the Islamic Republic. And perhaps the first call and first meeting will be with President Putin,' the source told Russian state media.

The same source clarified that Khamenei's public appearances remain suspended for now: 'His Excellency will not appear in public for the foreseeable future for security reasons. The government is waiting for the situation to return to normal. He will then appear in public.'

How Mojtaba Khamenei Came to Power

Mojtaba Khamenei was elevated to the position of Supreme Leader in March 2025, following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in missile strikes attributed to the United States and Israel on 28 February 2025. His ascension marked one of the most consequential leadership transitions in the Islamic Republic's history, occurring mid-conflict.

In a written statement ahead of his father's funeral, Mojtaba Khamenei issued a stark vow of retaliation: 'We vow to avenge your blood and the blood of all the martyrs of these two wars by punishing the criminal and disgraced murderers. This revenge is the will of our people, and it must be carried out.'

Russia Maintains Iran Contacts Amid Escalation

On Thursday, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow has kept its communication lines with Tehran open despite what he described as fresh escalation of 'American aggression' in the Persian Gulf. 'We continue contacts with our Iranian colleagues,' Peskov said, according to state media reports.

This comes amid a broader diplomatic backdrop: Washington and Tehran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last month calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. Follow-up US-Iranian talks were subsequently held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, to operationalise the agreement.

What This Signals for Regional Diplomacy

The prospect of Khamenei's debut international outreach going to Moscow rather than a regional power or a neutral mediator is diplomatically significant. It signals continuity in the Iran-Russia axis, which has deepened considerably since 2022, and suggests Tehran intends to keep Moscow as its primary external anchor even as it navigates ceasefire negotiations with Washington.

Notably, Khamenei's continued absence from public life — justified on security grounds — means that for now, Iran's strategic signalling is being conducted through intermediaries and state-linked sources, adding layers of uncertainty to an already volatile situation. How and when he formally emerges on the world stage will be closely watched by both adversaries and allies.