St Petersburg: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday refused to engage in speculation about the possibility that Israel and the United States might assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Speaking to senior news agency editors in St Petersburg, he said he did not want to discuss such a scenario while highlighting a growing unity among the Iranian people around their leadership.
Putin noted that despite the current military exchanges in the Middle East, Iranian society appears to be rallying in support of its rulers. He described complex internal political dynamics in Tehran and suggested that these conditions were leading to a consolidation of national resolve rather than division.
On the question of ending hostilities, Putin advocated for negotiations that would respect Iran’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy alongside Israel’s legitimate security concerns. He said Russia had already conveyed its ideas for a ceasefire and a diplomatic framework to both Washington and Jerusalem.
When asked about Russia’s willingness to supply Iran with modern weaponry, Putin reiterated that the strategic partnership accord signed in January did not encompass military cooperation. He added that Iran had not formally requested any arms assistance from Moscow.
Putin further reassured Israel that Russian specialists working at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant would be protected. He explained that Russia could help guarantee Iran’s access to nuclear fuel for civilian reactors and offered to take enriched uranium from Iran and supply fresh fuel as part of a wider arrangement.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also warned that any strike on Iranian nuclear facilities risked catastrophic consequences for regional stability. The Russian Foreign Ministry cautioned that attacks on those installations could trigger an environmental emergency with far reaching fallout.
In his closing remarks, Putin emphasized that underground uranium enrichment facilities in Iran remained untouched and that a lasting solution required all parties to seek common ground. He expressed hope that diplomacy could prevail over further escalation.