Putin Did Not Declare His Support of Iran
The Claim
Putin declared his support of Iran.
News posted on
Emerging story
Recently, social media users widely circulated a claim alleging that Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia will support Iran if the United States attacks Iran's soil in support of Israel.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be fake. Misbar's team did not find reports from any media outlet on this claim.
Putin Urged All Sides To Refrain From Action
Following the Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel on the night of April 14, several countries expressed their stance, including Russia.
Through a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Putin has called for restraint and to refrain from action, affirming that a new confrontation would lead to catastrophic consequences for the Middle East.
Putin also noted that “Iran’s actions were forced and limited in nature,” the Kremlin said. “At the same time, he stressed Tehran’s disinterest in further escalation of tensions.”
On April 14, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the Iranian attacks that Russia is concerned about another dangerous escalation in the region and warned “that the numerous unresolved crises in the Middle East, primarily in the area of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which are often fueled by irresponsible provocative actions, will exacerbate tensions. We call on all parties involved in the conflict to exercise restraint.”
The ministry affirmed that the Iranian attack on April 14 was undertaken “as part of the right to self-defence” in response to the Israeli attacks on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus on April 1, which Russia strongly denounced.
Moreover, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia is very worried by the rise in tensions in the Middle East. "We are extremely concerned about the escalation of tensions in the region," stated Dmitry Peskov. "We call on all countries in the region to exercise restraint."
Israel May Be Alone In Attacking Iran
The U.S. does not intend to support Israel in attacking Iran. According to ABC News, the U.S. is privately telling officials there that if Israel strikes back militarily, it will do so alone, which seems an unusual message for a close ally like Israel.
However, the U.S. sees the Israeli attack on Iran as “self-defence.” A senior administration official stated that self-defence is a “long-standing policy, and that remains.” When asked by a reporter if the U.S. would help Israel counter with offensive military operations, the official said no, adding that “we would not envision ourselves participating in such a thing.”
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