Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) has announced he will step up cooperation with Iran in countering terrorist threats.
“I would like to reaffirm the Russian side’s willingness to further expand cooperation with our Iranian partners in the fight against terrorism,” Putin said in a telegram to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (61).
It was published on the Kremlin’s website on Thursday. Putin expressed his condolences to the leadership in Tehran over the attack in the city of Shiraz. The Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia has claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack, which left at least 15 people dead.
US concerned about cooperation
The United States had recently expressed fears that Russia could help Iran crush the mass protests in the country. “We know they may be considering some sort of support for Iran’s ability to take action against protesters, and unfortunately Russia has experience with that,” said National Security Council communications director John Kirby. When journalists asked about it, it was unclear whether this alleged support had already started or not.
The protests in Iran, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini († 22) after her arrest by the vice squad, have been rocking the country for weeks. The leadership in Tehran calls these protesters terrorists. (SDA)