ST PETERSBURG, Jun 19 (Alliance News): Russian President Vladimir Putin has firmly refused to comment on controversial remarks suggesting the United States and Israel may be considering targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling the idea unacceptable and urging restraint from all parties.
“I don’t even want to discuss this possibility,” Putin said during a meeting with senior editors in St. Petersburg, when asked about recent comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Russian leader emphasized that the Iranian people are rallying around their leadership despite the complex internal political situation.
U.S. President Trump had told media that Washington was aware of Khamenei’s whereabouts but was “not going to kill him for now,” while Netanyahu previously suggested Israeli military actions could lead to regime change in Iran.
Putin warned against such rhetoric and actions, saying regime change campaigns rarely achieve their intended results. “Before taking such steps, it’s important to ask if the goal is actually being achieved — and at what cost,” he said.
The Russian president reiterated Moscow’s commitment to regional stability and peaceful conflict resolution. “We believe it is entirely possible to protect Israel’s security interests while ensuring Iran’s right to civil nuclear energy,” he said, noting Russia had shared proposals with Washington, Tehran, and Tel Aviv.
Putin disclosed that despite Israeli airstrikes, Iran’s underground nuclear facilities remained intact and reiterated Russia’s belief in finding a diplomatic solution. “It seems to me a peaceful resolution is possible — and preferable,” he added.
Regarding potential military aid to Iran, Putin clarified that the Russia-Iran strategic partnership treaty signed in January did not include military cooperation and that Tehran had not formally requested weapons.
However, he confirmed that Moscow had received Israeli assurances that Russian personnel working on the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran would not be harmed during Israeli strikes. “We have a very good relationship with Iran and can ensure its interests in nuclear energy,” Putin said.
Russia has offered to take Iran’s enriched uranium and supply nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes — a proposal Putin believes can balance both Iranian and Israeli concerns.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the United States against striking Iran, calling such action a major threat to regional stability. The Russian Foreign Ministry also cautioned that Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites could trigger a nuclear disaster.
