Russia Expects Israeli Threats Against Ayatollah Khamenei to Be Empty Words
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R). X/ @ThepostNew
June 20, 2025 Hour: 1:55 pm
Russia doesn’t seek to act as a mediator in the Israel-Iran conflict but is making proposals to help resolve the situation, Putin said.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that Israel’s threats to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were merely rhetorical.
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“I would like to believe that the things you mentioned remain on the level of rhetoric,” the Russian leader told the moderator of the plenary session at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum.
Two days earlier, during a briefing with representatives of major news agencies, Putin said he did not even want to discuss the possibility. “I’ve heard all this, but I don’t want to talk about it,” he said emphatically.
On Thursday, however, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz once again used hateful and threatening language, explicitly stating that Ayatollah Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also escalated his rhetoric against Iranian authorities, while the Israeli military has intensified its airstrikes against Iran, where hundreds have been killed, including high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists. In an interview with U.S. network ABC, the Israeli leader claimed that Khamenei’s death would end the conflict rather than escalate it.
On Friday, Putin also stated that Russia does not seek to act as a mediator in the Israel-Iran conflict but is making proposals to help resolve the current situation.
“I want to emphasize that we are not seeking any mediation role—we are simply proposing ideas. And if they are appealing to both sides, we will be glad… Our proposals are currently under consideration. We maintain almost daily contact with our Iranian friends. So we’ll see,” he said.
In his latest phone call with Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Russian mediation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned as “cynical” the attempts to justify Israel’s attacks on Iran, which began a week ago.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
