Kremlin Condemns Killing of Iranian Security Chief After Israeli Airstrike

The Kremlin on Wednesday condemned the killing of Iranian security chief Ali Larijani after authorities in Tehran vowed retaliation for his death in an Israeli airstrike. Larijani met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in January amid a buildup of American forces in the Middle East ahead of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran the following month. “We firmly condemn actions aimed at harming the health and, even more, the killing of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a daily briefing. Peskov did not refer to Larijani by name or directly blame Israel for his killing. Russia is one of Iran’s closest partners. It has condemned U.S.-Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic as an “unprovoked act of armed aggression” and called for an end to the war. In 2025, the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement that includes provisions for countering shared threats. However, the pact stops short of mutual defense obligations, unlike the security agreement Russia has signed with North Korea. Russia is reportedly providing Iran with intelligence and advice on drone tactics as it continues to launch attacks in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes. The Kremlin has denied those reports. White House officials said last week that Moscow assured them it was not providing targeting information to the Iranian military. AFP contributed reporting.