Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Iran’s response to US and Israeli aggression, saying the entire world is “amazed” by the Iranian nation’s “courage, heroism and resilience.”
“The whole world is closely following what is happening and is amazed at the courage and heroism of the Iranian nation and its resilience,” Putin said Thursday during the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow.
The Russian leader also highlighted what he described as a deep “bench” of high-level figures within Iran’s administration, armed forces and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) — “people ready for self-sacrifice in the name of their people.”
His remarks come months after the United States and the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked war of aggression against the Islamic Republic, assassinating senior political and military leaders while Tehran was engaged in indirect talks with Washington.
Larijani Killing ‘a Mistake’
Putin described the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as a tremendous mistake.
“Mr. Larijani I knew him personally well was a very positively minded person, ready to seek mutually acceptable compromises, above all in the interests of the Iranian people,” the Russian president said, according to TASS and RIA Novosti.
“Besides any legal assessments, this is of course a mistake, because such a person would be needed today to find compromises and solutions that could bring peace to the Persian Gulf,” he stated.
Putin noted that Larijani had visited Russia for talks on Iran’s enriched uranium and was a figure with whom constructive dialogue was possible.
He recalled that Tehran had at one stage agreed to a Russian proposal to relocate the material — an arrangement Washington and even the Israeli regime initially accepted.
Moscow’s Offer ‘Still on the Table’
Moscow, Putin said, had already carried out such a transfer in 2015 and remained ready to repeat it. The Americans later hardened their position and demanded that the uranium go only to the United States, after which Iran toughened its own stance.
Larijani, Putin said, then proposed a joint Russian-Iranian enterprise on Iranian territory to dilute the material.
The Russian leader added that Moscow’s offer remains on the table.
Hopes for Hormuz Reopening, Sanctions Relief
Putin also expressed hope that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen and that illegal sanctions against Iran would be lifted “an objective that Tehran is rightfully pursuing.”
Once that happened, he said, there would be no reason for restrictions on passage through Hormuz or Bab el-Mandeb. “We support that.”
Deepening Iran-Russia Ties
Iran and Russia have deepened strategic ties in recent years in the face of sweeping US sanctions and Western isolation. A 20-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement was signed last year, and Moscow continues work on new units at the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Russian officials have repeatedly condemned the US-Israeli war of aggression and offered to help mediate a settlement that respects Iran’s sovereignty.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)