Russian President Vladimir Putin. File
| Photo Credit: AP
Russia on Thursday (June 19, 2025) warned the United States not to take military action against Iran, amid speculation over whether Washington would enter the war alongside Israel.
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Israel launched an unprecedented wave of strikes at Iran last week, to which Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks.
Moscow is one of Iran’s most important allies, with the two deepening military cooperation and inking a strategic partnership agreement just months ago.
But the Kremlin has not provided military support to Iran in the face of Israeli air strikes, and President Vladimir Putin is pitching himself as a possible mediator even as he condemns Israel.
“We would like to particularly warn Washington against military intervention in the situation,” Russian foreign ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.
U.S. President Donald Trump had said on Wednesday (June 18, 2025) he was considering join Israel’s strikes on Iran.
“I may do it, I may not do it,” he said. He also rejected Russia’s offer to broker peace, saying he told Mr. Putin to resolve the Ukraine conflict first.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday (June 19, 2025) that it was not up to Mr. Trump to reject Mr. Putin’s offer. “These services can be accepted by countries currently directly involved in the conflict,” he said.
‘Not asked’
Ms. Zakharova warned any U.S. military action “would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences”.
Moscow issued its warning after Mr. Putin spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, with the pair blasting Israel.
Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi “strongly condemn Israel’s actions,” the Kremlin said after the call.
Mr. Putin aide, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters that Moscow and Beijing believed the end to the hostilities “should be achieved exclusively by political and diplomatic means”.
Russia has for years been a key actor in the Middle East, managing to maintain warm relations with all major players in the region.
But the fall of key ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria last year, and Israel’s war in Gaza — which Mr. Putin has repeatedly raised concerns about — have threatened to dent that position.
Despite their close military ties, Mr. Putin said Iran had not requested military help in the week since Israel launched its attacks.
“Our Iranian friends have not asked us about this,” Mr. Putin said in response to a question from an AFP reporter at a late-night televised press conference in Saint Petersburg.
He also pointed out that the treaty signed in January was not a mutual defence pact and did not oblige either side to provide arms or assistance.
Asked what steps Russia would take if Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was assassinated, Mr. Putin said: “I don’t even want to discuss such a possibility.”
His spokesman said later Thursday (June 19, 2025) that Russia would be prepared to send humanitarian aid, if requested to by Tehran.
Published – June 19, 2025 10:46 pm IST