• Putin calls the US airstrikes on Iran "unprovoked aggression" without justification.
• Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meets Putin to seek support amid escalating tensions.
• Russia condemns the actions of the US and Israel, stating they violate international norms.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned recent US airstrikes against Iran as "absolutely unprovoked aggression" during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow. Putin stated, "This absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification," emphasizing Moscow's efforts to assist the Iranian people without specifying the nature of that assistance, according to Channel News Asia, The Jakarta Post, and Le Monde.

Araghchi remarked that Russia's condemnation of the strikes was appreciated and proclaimed that "Iran is exercising legitimate defense" against these aggressions. He highlighted the significance of the talks, noting Russia's supportive stance during these turbulent times without requesting specific military aid, citing diplomatic sensitivities, according to Africanews and Newsweek.

While Putin positioned Russia as a mediator between Iran and Israel, he refrained from offering concrete military support. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "It all depends on what Iran needs," underscoring that Russia had offered mediation services instead, which may not satisfy Tehran's immediate defense concerns, according to Salon and The Jakarta Post.

The backdrop of this diplomatic exchange includes ongoing tensions in the region, sparked by Israeli strikes against Iranian targets from June 13 and subsequent US attacks aimed at Iranian nuclear facilities, which heightened fears of a broader regional conflict. Putin has expressed concern over the "dramatic escalation," indicating the potential for increased violence in the Middle East, as noted by the reports from Channel News Asia, Anadolu Agency, and Newsweek.