Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Nowruz (Persian New Year) greetings to Iranโs leadership and people. In his statement, Putin described Iran as a โloyal friendโ and assured continued support during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Kremlin confirmed that the greetings were sent to Iranโs Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Putin wished the Iranian people strength, acknowledging the hardships they are currently facing due to the war.
Russia stands by Iran during conflictย
Russia has long been an ally of Iran and has openly criticised recent strikes by the United States and Israel, which reportedly triggered the current conflict on February 28.
Moscow also condemned the killing of Iranian security figure Ali Larijani in an Israeli airstrike earlier this week. While Russia has not officially entered the conflict militarily, it has sent humanitarian aid to Iran.
At the same time, reports from US media suggest that Russia may be sharing military intelligence with Iran to support its drone and missile operations. However, the Kremlin has not confirmed these claims and has avoided direct comments on the issue.
The Middle East crisisย
The situation in the Middle East continues to worsen, with both Iran and the United States issuing serious warnings. Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments if the US carries out further attacks.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly issued a 48-hour deadline for Iran to reopen the strait, increasing fears of a wider regional conflict. Meanwhile, Iran has launched attacks on US and Israeli targets in response to earlier strikes on its territory, further raising tensions.
Israeli authorities recently visited towns near the Negev Nuclear Research Center after Iranian missiles struck the area, injuring several people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the situation as a โmiracleโ since no deaths were reported.
Netanyahu reiterated that Israel, along with the US, remains focused on limiting Iranโs nuclear and missile capabilities and reducing its influence in the region.