Russia reacted sharply to the death of Ali Khamenei and the recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, a close ally of Moscow. Speaking through the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin denounced the killing as a “cynical assassination,” accusing those responsible of trampling on basic human morality and violating international law, according to the state news agency TASS.
Putin also conveyed his condolences to Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, signaling solidarity at a moment of acute tension between Tehran and the West.
An early indication of Moscow’s hardening stance came a day earlier from Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a former president.
In a sharply worded post on Telegram, Medvedev launched a direct attack on Donald Trump, saying the self-styled “peacemaker” had once again revealed his true face.
Medvedev dismissed prior negotiations with Tehran as little more than a façade, arguing that “everyone knew there was never any genuine intention of reaching an agreement.”
