Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday condemned the recent strikes on Iran as “unprovoked” and “unjustified,” but did not announce any concrete support for Tehran, one of Moscow’s key allies in the Middle East.
Putin made the comments during talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the Kremlin, as tensions in the region continue to rise following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend.
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“This absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran is unjustified,” Putin said in televised remarks at the start of their meeting.
However, he stopped short of directly blaming the US or offering military assistance to Iran, despite their close ties.
The Kremlin had positioned itself as a potential mediator between Iran and Israel, though the idea was rejected last week by US President Donald Trump. Putin later downplayed the proposal, saying Russia was only “suggesting ideas.”
During the meeting, Araghchi thanked Russia for its partnership and described ties with Moscow as “very close and longstanding.”
“Iran is exercising legitimate defense against these aggressions,” he added.
Since Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets on June 13 – triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Tehran – Russia has not publicly offered military backing for Iran.
Officials in Moscow have also minimized expectations around a strategic partnership treaty signed with Iran earlier this year, noting it does not include mutual defense commitments.
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Putin said Russia was “making efforts to help the Iranian people,” without providing details.
Earlier Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow “condemns and regrets” the strikes, which targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday after weeks of escalating hostilities between Iran and US ally Israel.
“There has been a new escalation of tensions in the region, and of course, we condemn this and express our deep regret,” Peskov told reporters.
Asked what assistance Russia might offer, Peskov said it depends on Iran’s needs. “We have offered our mediation services,” he added.
Peskov also stressed that the US strikes on Iran would not affect efforts to improve ties between Washington and Moscow, calling them “independent issues.”
The US and Russia have been exploring cautious diplomatic engagement despite their ongoing standoff over Ukraine. Peskov confirmed that Trump did not notify Putin about the Iran strike in advance, but said the two leaders have “direct communication channels.”
Russia’s foreign ministry had called the US strikes “irresponsible” and a “gross violation of international law” on Sunday, but the Kremlin has avoided stronger criticism, reflecting Moscow’s careful balancing act between its ally Iran and efforts to manage relations with Washington.
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