In the Midst of the Israel-Iran Conflict, Here's How Putin Is Backing Tehran

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his full support for the Iranian people and condemned the recent attacks on Tehran as "unjustified aggression." Putin made the statement during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow, as reported by Al Arabiya on Monday, June 23, 2025.

"This is an absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran," Putin told Araghchi, calling the attacks "unjustifiable." He also stated that Russia is "making efforts to provide assistance to the people of Iran."

Russia and Iran have maintained close ties for years. On Monday, June 23, 2025, Iran’s top leader sent Foreign Minister Araghchi to Moscow to request additional support following what has been described as the largest U.S. military strike on Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

When asked whether Russia would offer direct assistance, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to give a definitive answer.

"It depends on what Iran needs. We have offered our mediation efforts," he told The Washington Post, as quoted by Independent.

Putin also condemned the U.S. military strikes that targeted three of Iran’s main nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. He urged all sides to exercise restraint and offered Moscow’s role as a mediator in Iran’s nuclear program.

However, according to Independent, Iranian sources expressed dissatisfaction with the level of Russian support so far, though they did not specify what additional assistance they were seeking.

Iran has become a key strategic partner for Russia, particularly since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Tehran has supplied missiles and drones to support Moscow’s military operations. In January 2025, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and President Putin signed a 20-year strategic partnership agreement, which was later ratified by Iran's parliament in May.

The agreement focuses on deepening defense ties, including joint efforts to counter military threats, expand technical-military cooperation, and conduct joint exercises.

Despite this partnership, Russia has been heavily invested in the ongoing war in Ukraine, deploying substantial resources, personnel, and equipment. According to Independent, this may limit Moscow's willingness to commit significant resources to Middle Eastern conflicts.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli leaders have publicly discussed the possibility of targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and pushing for regime change in Iran. Russia has expressed concern that such actions could escalate tensions in the region. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi told the TASS news agency that Tehran and Moscow are closely coordinating in response to the latest developments.

The Kremlin declined to comment last week on whether Russia would respond to any potential Israeli or U.S. action against Khamenei. However, Putin noted that Israel had assured Russia that airstrikes would not impact Russian personnel working on the construction of two new reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

As a long-standing ally of Iran, Russia remains an important player in ongoing nuclear negotiations with Western powers. It holds veto power as a member of the UN Security Council and was a signatory to the 2015 nuclear agreement abandoned by former President Trump in 2018.

Sita Planasari contributed to the writing of this article.

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