Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday denounced last week's attacks on Iran as acts of "completely unprovoded" aggression, but avoided making any overt expression of support to Tehran amid rising tensions following American and Israeli strikes.
Putin said this while receiving Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a meeting in Moscow, one day after the United States initiated joint missile strikes against various Iranian nuclear centers, among them Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
"There is absolutely no foundation or grounds for this totally unprovoked attack on Iran," Putin declared in televised remarks at the beginning of the meeting. He went on to say that Moscow and Tehran have a "long-standing, friendly, and reliable" relationship and emphasized that Russia was "working to support the Iranian people."
In spite of this posturing, Moscow has not provided military or strategic support to Iran, its most important Middle Eastern ally, in the aftermath of the attacks.
Since 13 June, when Israel initiated its barrage of attacks—followed by Iranian retaliatory missile and drone fire—Russia has played it safe diplomatically.
Earlier on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with reporters: "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." But he did not mention the US specifically, nor did he outline any possible Russian response.
Araghchi, meanwhile, vehemently denounced the US and Israeli attacks as "wholly illegitimate" and contrary to international law. "We are now defending our country and our sovereignty, and our defence is totally legitimate," he replied.
The United Nations nuclear inspector, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has estimated that the recent bombing of Fordow will probably have "very significant" damage to the subterranean facility, which enriches uranium near weapons-grade levels.
Satellite imagery obtained by Reuters seemed to indicate widespread destruction at the plant, with six observable craters where US "bunker buster" bombs might have penetrated the mountainous ground.
Some have theorized that Iran might have relocated some of its cache of 60% highly enriched uranium from the facility prior to the attack.
While Putin presented himself as a potential broker between Iran and Israel, an option that was spurned by former US President Donald Trump, he also minimized the commitments included in the strategic cooperation pact Russia signed with Tehran earlier this year.
The pact does not have mutual defence clauses.
Peskov, when questioned what actual assistance Russia could provide, said: "It is all dependent on what Iran requires. We have provided our facilitation services." Putin himself admitted last week that Iran had not asked for any help.
Araghchi, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday evening, said his meeting with Putin would be of "great significance" amidst the growing tensions in the region.
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