Putin Defends Ties with Iran After U.S. Strikes, Slams Critics as 'Provocateurs'

Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to questions about Moscow helping its long-time ally, Iran, after the latter’s three nuclear facilities were bombed by the U.S. on Sunday.

Putin emphasised that Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran, and even helped build Iran’s first nuclear power plant in Bushehr. He added that the country has a nuanced relationship with its allies in the Middle East.  

He dismissed those questioning Moscow's loyalty to its allies as "provocateurs," TASS news agency reported. Putin noted that around 15% of Russia’s population practices Islam and highlighted that Moscow holds observer status in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Russia had condemned the bombing of nuclear sites Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, calling them "irresponsible" and a "gross violation of international law,  the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions." 

Putin, while speaking at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, said "I would like to draw your attention to the fact that almost two million people from the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation reside in Israel. It is almost a Russian-speaking country today. And, undoubtedly, we always take this into account in Russia’s contemporary history." 

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, will be flying to Moscow to have a meeting with Putin on Monday. The top Iranian diplomat arrived in Moscow on Sunday night "to hold several talks." 

“Russia is a friend of Iran and we enjoy a strategic partnership,” he told a news conference in Istanbul. “We always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,” Araghchi said.

“I will have serious consultations with the Russian president tomorrow and we continue to work with each other,” he said.

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russian President "Ayatollah Putin", underlining the irony of his stance ON U.S.' attack. Zelenskyy said "Russia wants to wage war. Even brandishing some threats. This means the pressure the world is applying isn’t hurting them enough yet, or they are trying very hard to keep up appearances. Well, the Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more."