A reporter blasted Russia at a usually staid Iranian foreign ministry press conference on Monday for failing to provide Iran with means to defend itself against an Israeli attack, discomfiting a government spokesman who urged civility.
Russia's failure to provide promised S-400 anti-aircraft systems or Su-35 fighters left Iran vulnerable, Ali-Akbar Saadati of the Kar va Kargar daily said, even after Tehran had provided Moscow hundreds of drones for its invasion of Ukraine.
"Whenever they faced difficulties in Ukraine, suffered misfortune, or got stuck in the quagmire of the Ukraine war, they came running to us, asking for drones, missiles, everything," Saadati said. "On the night Israel attacked us, our military’s defense system stood alone, completely alone."
"What is the position of the Pezeshkian admin's foreign ministry regarding this blatant dishonorable behavior by Vladimir Putin, the invading president of Russia?" demanded Saadati, who was dressed in Western attire rare in official Iranian circles.
The line of questioning sparked visible shock from foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, who asked the reporter to show decorum.
“I ask friends to raise questions here and leave the task of issuing political statements to the foreign ministry,” Baghaei replied. “Secondly, I must mention that here is a gathering of educated people, so please follow the usual code of conduct,” he added.
Baghaei said Iran is self-reliant in defense, adding, “One of the proud achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran is its reliance on its own strength, a result of the sacrifices of thousands."
"For the past 45 years, we have been under the most severe economic and arms sanctions, and everything we have accomplished has depended on our own steadfast air defense and armed forces,” he added.
In April, the former head of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, criticized Russian inaction. After an Iranian attack on Israel, Falahatpisheh said that Western powers quickly mobilized to intercept Iran’s more than 350 projectiles, but no support arrived from Russia despite Iran’s provision of drones for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“The developments showed that Iran is alone in the region … other powers did not come to Iran’s aid even in wartime conditions. Russia was not willing to provide Iran with the necessary equipment,” he added.
The words were consistent with Falahatpisheh’s previous criticisms of Russian policies. In January, he accused Moscow of seeking a “partner in crime” for its actions in Ukraine, highlighting that Iran’s provision of drones has not been reciprocated.
Since October 2022, Iran has supplied drones to Russia for use in Ukraine to target infrastructure and civilian areas. After initial denials, Iran eventually acknowledged sending a limited number before the conflict escalated.
Iranian requests for advanced Russian defense systems, such as the S-400, were met with no public response from Moscow.
Despite Russia’s inconsistent support, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has maintained a firm pro-Moscow stance, emphasizing close ties with both Russia and China while warning against any reconciliation with the West.