Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Tuesday, the Kremlin countered criticism that it hadn’t done enough to support Iran, claiming it had taken a clear stance by condemning U.S. and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.
President Vladimir Putin has criticized the U.S. for what he sees as “unjustified” attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, with which he signed a strategic cooperation treaty in January. On Monday, he stated that Russia would do its best to support the people of Iran, without providing any details.
According to sources, Iran had not been impressed with Russia’s backing so far, and the country wants Putin to do more to back it against Israel and the United States. The sources did not elaborate on what assistance Tehran wanted.
How has the Kremlin responded to criticism?
When asked about comparisons to the downfall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last year, when Moscow declined to send troops or additional air support to keep its ally in power, the Kremlin said some people were trying to undermine the Russian-Iranian coalition.
“Russia actually supported Iran with its clear position,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, adding that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had appreciated Russia’s perspective when he met Putin on Monday.
According to Peskov, it was still too soon to gauge the full scope of damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“Some information is coming through the appropriate channels, but it is still too early,” Peskov said. “Hardly anyone has a clear understanding right now.”
Did Araqchi deliver a letter from Khamenei?
Asked about a report that Araqchi had given Putin a letter from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Peskov stated that no written document had been handed over. “The fact that there were certain messages from the Iranian leadership is true. But this report is not true,” Peskov stated.
“If it has really been possible to achieve a ceasefire, then this can only be welcomed,” Peskov stated, adding that Doha had enabled the brokered ceasefire.
“This is what the Russian Federation has been calling for since the very beginning of this conflict. Therefore, yes, this can and should be welcomed, and we hope that this will be a sustainable ceasefire.”
Moreover, as reported by the NY Times, according to the Kremlin’s statement on Monday, Mr. Putin avoided directly blaming the United States or Israel for attacking Iran. This cautious approach differed from Mr. Araghchi’s more direct criticism, which condemned the “aggressive actions of Israel and the U.S.A.,” as stated by the Kremlin.
