Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has accused the West of supporting the “genocide” carried out by Israel against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, at the beginning of talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As part of a series of meetings focusing on the Middle East, Putin welcomed Raisi to the Kremlin a day after visiting the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, where he discussed the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as Russia and OPEC’s efforts to boost oil prices.
In the opening televised speech on Thursday (12/7/2023), no leader touched upon the increased military cooperation between their countries – a concern raised by the United States, claiming Iran supplies weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine.
Putin emphasized the importance of discussing the situation in the Middle East, particularly in the Palestinian region. “What is happening in Palestine and Gaza is undoubtedly genocide and a crime against humanity,” said Raisi, as quoted by Reuters. He expressed disappointment that this was supported by the United States and Western countries.
Iran supports the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, in its conflict with Israel. Russia also maintains relationships with all key players in the region, including Hamas and Israel, the latter being upset with Russia for hosting a Hamas delegation in Moscow in October.
Analysts suggest that this conflict has aided Russia in diverting global attention from the war in Ukraine and aligning itself with developing countries in solidarity with Palestine.
Putin mentioned that the sight of suffering and the blood of children in Gaza makes one “cry,” but Western governments argue that such comments are hypocritical when Putin’s forces have killed thousands of civilians in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia and Arab nations claim that the West is applying double standards by supporting Israel’s bombing and siege in Gaza while accusing Russia of war crimes.
Israel has previously stated that the genocide accusations are regrettable and that its actions target Hamas, not civilians.
Military Relations
Similar to North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong Un met with Putin in the Russian Far East in September, Iran is a clear adversary of the US and could provide Moscow with military hardware for its conflict in Ukraine, where Russia extensively uses Iranian drones.
Last month, the Kremlin stated that Russia and Iran were developing relations, “including in the field of military-technical cooperation,” but declined to comment on White House allegations that Iran might consider supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.
White House spokesperson John Kirby on Wednesday described the evolving defense relationship as “concerning.”
Iranian authorities stated that military cooperation with Russia is progressing day by day. Last month, Iran announced that it had finalized arrangements for Russia to supply Su-35 fighter jets, Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 pilot training aircraft.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu attended Thursday’s meeting, as did Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, a key figure for Putin in the oil sector.
