Iran's Pezeshkian thanks Russia, President Putin for support in war with US, Israel

MOSCOW

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday expressed gratitude to the Russian people and President Vladimir Putin for their support in the conflict with the US and Israel.

"The messages from President Putin and the support of the Russian people inspire us in this war. The resilience and courage of the Iranian people promise new ties that will ensure the security of East Asia by the countries of the region. On behalf of the people of Iran, I thank the government and people of Russia," Pezeshkian wrote in Russian on the US social media company X.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran that has killed more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.

Thirteen US service members have been killed, and around 290 others have been injured since the war began.