Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday condemned recent attacks on Iran as “unprovoked” and “unjustified,” but stopped short of offering any concrete support or military assistance to Tehran, despite the two nations' close diplomatic ties.
Putin made the comments during a televised meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, at the Kremlin, where both sides acknowledged the gravity of the escalating crisis in the Middle East but avoided direct commitments to deepen cooperation in the face of U.S. military actions.
“This absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran is unjustified,” Putin said. However, he refrained from naming the United States explicitly, opting instead for a more general rebuke of the “strikes” on Iran.
His remarks follow U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, an act that has significantly heightened tensions across the region. Despite the gravity of the attacks and Tehran’s expectations of solidarity, the Kremlin’s response remained largely diplomatic rather than strategic.
Russia Keeps Its Distance
Earlier on Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had similarly condemned the strikes, but offered little more than verbal support.
“There has been a new escalation of tensions in the region, and, of course, we condemn this and express our deep regret in this regard,” Peskov told reporters, offering no indication of military or logistical support for Iran.
Asked later what specific form of support Russia might extend, Peskov stated:
> “It all depends on what Iran needs. We have offered our mediation services.”
He also sought to de-escalate speculation that the developments would damage Russia’s already strained relations with Washington, saying the Iran situation was “a different issue” from bilateral Moscow-Washington ties.
Iran Appeals for Support
For his part, Foreign Minister Araghchi emphasized Tehran’s view of the attacks as acts of aggression and praised Russia’s role as a long-term ally.
“Iran is exercising legitimate defence against these aggressions,” Araghchi told Putin. “Russia has been a partner and companion to Tehran. The ties between our countries are very close and longstanding.”
Despite the show of unity, the lack of a tangible response from Moscow is likely to frustrate Tehran, which had hoped for a stronger stance under the strategic partnership agreement signed with Russia just months ago.
However, both sides appear to be playing down expectations around that agreement, clarifying that it is not a formal mutual defence pact.
No Military Aid on the Table
Since the wave of Israeli strikes on Iranian-linked positions on June 13, which provoked retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran, Russia has remained publicly neutral—expressing concern, but offering neither arms nor troops.
While Moscow has a history of military cooperation with Tehran—particularly in Syria, where both nations have supported the Assad regime—this current crisis appears to be testing the limits of that relationship.
Putin reiterated that Russia was “making efforts to help the Iranian people,” but stopped short of explaining what those efforts might entail.
Last week, the Russian leader also revealed that Iran had not formally requested military assistance from Moscow.
Mediation, Not Militarization
Putin has instead continued to pitch Russia as a potential mediator between Iran and Israel, a role that has so far gained little traction. U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the idea last week, arguing that Russia’s involvement would “only complicate” matters.
With the Iran-Israel conflict showing signs of further escalation and Tehran increasingly isolated on the international stage, Russia’s reluctance to commit militarily could shift the strategic calculus in the region.
As it stands, Putin’s response reflects a cautious balancing act—condemning Western aggression while avoiding entanglement in another protracted regional conflict, even if it involves one of Russia’s closest partners.
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