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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday denounced recent strikes against Iran as "unprovoked aggression" during a high-level meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow, as tensions escalate across the Middle East following a series of military exchanges.
"The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification," Putin said during the diplomatic meeting, signaling Russia's opposition to the recent military actions targeting Iranian facilities.
Putin emphasized the strength of Russian-Iranian relations during Monday's meeting, describing them as "long-standing, good, reliable." The Russian leader said Moscow's position on the escalating tensions is well established and indicated Russia's willingness to provide support.
"For our part, we are making efforts to provide assistance to the Iranian people," Putin said, requesting that Araghchi convey his regards to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The condemnation comes amid a sharp escalation in regional hostilities that began June 13, when Israel launched a surprise attack on multiple Iranian sites, including military and nuclear facilities. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes, marking the beginning of sustained aerial combat between the two nations.
The conflict intensified over the weekend when the United States conducted strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday. President Donald Trump claimed the attacks caused significant damage and resulted in "obliteration" of the targeted facilities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi attributed the growing regional instability to the military actions by the United States and Israel, particularly the targeting of Iran's nuclear infrastructure. He characterized the escalation in the Middle East as intensifying daily due to these strikes.
Araghchi praised the Russian-Iranian partnership, describing current relations as "very close and kind" and noting they have become "strategic" in recent years. He positioned Russia as being on the "right side of history and international law" and thanked Moscow for condemning what he termed "aggressive actions by Israel and the United States."
Putin expressed optimism about the diplomatic engagement, saying the meeting would provide an opportunity to "discuss all these sensitive issues and think together about how we can get out of today's situation."
The Moscow meeting underscores Russia's diplomatic support for Iran as the Islamic Republic faces mounting military pressure from Israeli and American forces, potentially reshaping regional alliances amid the ongoing crisis.
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