Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that messages from Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people have given his country a lift as it battles the United States and Israel in a conflict now in its fourth week.
In a Russian-language post on X on Thursday, March 26, Pezeshkian thanked Putin and ordinary Russians for their words of support during what he called historic days.
“The messages of the President and the people of Russia are a source of encouragement for us in these historic days,” he wrote.
He added that Iran’s resistance has changed old ties in the region and created new ones. “The security of East Asia will henceforth be ensured by the countries of the region,” Pezeshkian said. “On behalf of the people of Iran, I thank the government and the people of Russia.”
The post came hours after Putin admitted that it is difficult to predict the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East, but says that some people have compared its possible consequences to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Putin’s remarks, the participants in the ongoing war do not seem to understand how the war’s effects will affect the whole World in the near future, adding that the war has slowed development in the Middle East.
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Putin made the remarks amid fresh exchanges in the fighting that began Feb. 28 when U.S. and Israeli strikes hit targets across Iran, including sites linked to its missile program.
Those initial attacks killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, members of his family, and several top officials.
Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel since then, while Israeli and American forces have carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure.
Pezeshkian’s comments could imply the deepening partnership between Tehran and Moscow.
The two countries have built closer military and economic ties in recent years, with Iran supplying drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine and Russia providing technical support in return.
Recent reports suggest Moscow may now be sending drones and other supplies to help Iran, along with intelligence on U.S. troop movements in the region.
Russian officials have repeatedly condemned the U.S.-Israeli campaign and called for an immediate ceasefire and talks.
In phone calls earlier this month, Putin offered condolences to Pezeshkian over the deaths of Khamenei and others, describing the killings as a violation of international norms.
He urged both sides to stop the fighting and return to diplomacy. Pezeshkian has publicly expressed appreciation for Russia’s position and for any humanitarian aid sent from Moscow.
The war has disturbed global energy markets. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to most shipping, sending oil prices surging above $100 a barrel at times.
Strikes have hit ports, airfields, and missile bases inside Iran, while Iranian rockets have caused damage and injuries in Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah in Lebanon has joined the fray with its own rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel.
Inside Iran, the death toll has climbed into the thousands, with civilians among the victims. Iranian officials say their forces have revealed resilience despite the pressure.
Since this war began, Pezeshkian, a reformist who took office in 2024, has been trying to balance defiance with calls for de-escalation in some areas, such as limiting attacks on Gulf neighbors unless they host strikes against Iran.
He recently apologized to the Gulf neighbors after Iran targeted them in their quest to hunt down American assets in the Middle East.
Iran has portrayed its fight as resistance against outside aggression, seeking to rally support from countries wary of U.S. dominance.
Putin Speaks on Iran War With U.S. and Israel.
Russia and China have expressed their opposition to the military campaign without contributing any troops.
The reference to “East Asia” and the handling of the security situation by regional countries, as mentioned by Pezeshkian, seems to be a nod towards the broader push for alliances and the sidelining of Western countries, although experts have pointed to the focus of the situation in Ukraine by Russia.
The Kremlin has not issued an immediate public response to Pezeshkian’s latest post, but its earlier statements stressed solidarity with Iran’s sovereignty while stopping short of pledging direct combat involvement.
