Putin Evades Khamenei Assassination Question, Urges Israel-Iran Peace
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with international journalists had declined to comment on speculations regarding whether the US and Israel may try to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He had also pushed in for a solution to the ongoing Iran-Israeli conflict.
“I do not even want to discuss the possibility,” he said while responding to the question on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had stated that the conflict would lead to a regime change in Iran. However, despite his claim, Putin said that the Iranian society remains united behind its government. Even with the complexity of the internal political process taking place, he said that “there is a consolidation of society around the country’s political leadership.”
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The Russian leader in recent days had tried to be a possible mediator between the two sides. Putin had pushed for a peaceful resolution that would need to ensure Iran’s “peaceful nuclear activities” and the “interests of Israel from the point of view of the unconditional security of the Jewish state.”
Meanwhile, in January, Putin had signed a strategic partnership with Iran to supply weapons and to continue to help with Iran’s nuclear programme. Despite the airstrikes from Israel, the nuclear programme continues to operate underground, Putin said.
More than 200 Russians continue to work at the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, Putin said. He further added that the group is safe as they agreed with the leadership of Israel that their security would be ensured.
Meanwhile, despite Israel’s claim that Iran is at the verge of creating a nuclear bomb, Tehran had stated that the programme was designed for civilian use.
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Israel’s airstrike in the region had killed at least 585 people, among them 239 civilians, since last Friday, according to a US-based Iranian human rights group.
