Russian President Vladimir Putin will not come to Iran’s defence if the United States initiates military action against the country.
This was disclosed by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrey Rudenko, amid rising tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. The development follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent call for a “Libya-style” solution targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
During a meeting with Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that direct talks between Washington and Tehran would begin on Saturday. He warned that failure in diplomacy would put Iran in “great danger” and reiterated that Iran “can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
While acknowledging the serious consequences a war could bring, Rudenko clarified that Russia is under no obligation to defend Tehran in the event of a U.S. attack, despite the nations’ close military ties.
In January, Presidents Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at strengthening military and political cooperation.
However, Rudenko emphasized that the agreement does not constitute a military alliance.
“I believe that in the event of a conflict between Iran and the U.S.—which we aim to avoid at all costs due to the potentially disastrous consequences for the region—Russia does not wish to be drawn into another conflict,” Rudenko told the State Duma on Tuesday.
“However, such possibilities do exist, and I am confident that our government will take all necessary actions. In the event of such a scenario, Russia is not obligated to provide military assistance,” he added.
Rudenko’s remarks come ahead of high-level indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran, set to take place in Oman on Saturday.