MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Moscow will remain a loyal friend and reliable partner to Tehran during challenging times.
On the occasion of the spring festival Nowruz, President Putin extended greetings to the leaders of several CIS countries, including Ilham Aliyev, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Sadyr Japarov, Emomali Rahmon, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
In his messages, Putin highlighted the strong bilateral relations with these nations and emphasized that mutually beneficial, multilateral ties will continue to flourish.
Notably, the Russian president also sent greetings to Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian.
He prayed for the Iranian people to successfully navigate difficult circumstances and reaffirmed that Moscow will remain a steadfast friend and reliable partner to Tehran during this critical period.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has stated that the current conflict is not Iran’s war, but one imposed upon the country, and that Tehran will continue defensive measures as long as necessary.
Speaking to Japanese media, Araqchi said it does not appear that the United States is willing to end its aggression, and a simple ceasefire will not be sufficient to resolve the conflict with the US and Israel. “This is not our war; it has been imposed on us. We were negotiating with the US when attacks were launched by the US and Israel. Their actions were illegal, unjustified, and unprovoked,” he said.
The Iranian minister emphasized that Iran will not accept a temporary ceasefire. “We are not in favor of repeating last year’s scenario. The war must end completely and permanently, with guarantees that such a situation will not occur again,” he added.
On maritime security, Araqchi stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open. He clarified that it has not been closed, except for vessels from countries that are attacking Iran. Other nations’ ships may transit safely, and Iran is ready to provide secure passage to countries that coordinate and communicate with Tehran.
