Russian President spoke by phone with Masoud Pezeshkian, his Iranian counterpart, on Friday to discuss the crisis sparked by the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran. “Putin once again expressed his heartfelt condolences on the assassination of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, his family members and the country’s military and political leadership, as well as the numerous civilian casualties resulting from the United States and Israel’s armed aggression against Iran, reported the Kremlin readout.
“Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia’s principled stance in favour of an immediate cessation of hostilities, the rejection of force as a method to solve any issues surrounding Iran or arising in the Middle East, and a swift return to the path of diplomatic resolution,” the readout added. “In this regard, the President of Russia noted that he was in constant contact with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states.”
The Iranian readout, as reported by Tasnim, was considerably more extensive. “Pezeshkian underscored that Iran expects Russia to utilize its international capacities to support the rightful rights of the Iranian people against these aggressions,” it reported. “He noted that diplomatic consultations with regional countries have clarified that targeting US military bases is solely a defensive measure aimed at safeguarding Iran and its people.