Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the Iranian people for their courage in battling against US and Israeli pressure to maintain their independence and sovereignty.

This statement came during a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in St. Petersburg, Russia's former imperial capital.

The Russian leader emphasized his hope for Iran to navigate through what he termed as a 'difficult period' towards achieving peace.

Putin reassured Araghchi that Russia would support Iran and the broader Middle Eastern region to quickly achieve peace.

He also mentioned receiving a message from Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, last week, affirming Russia's commitment to its strategic partnership with Tehran.

This 20-year agreement includes Russian involvement in building new nuclear units at Bushehr and supplying Shahed drones for use by Iran.

Araghchi expressed gratitude for Russia’s support during challenging times and highlighted that Iran has found allies like the Russian Federation who stand by it in difficult circumstances.

Additionally, Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, reiterated Moscow's desire to see continued negotiations between the US and Iran, cautioning against a return to military action as it would be detrimental to everyone involved.