MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) – The Kremlin on Wednesday condemned what it called “the murder” of Iran’s leaders in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, a day after Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency confirmed that Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed in Tehran.
“We unequivocally condemn any actions aimed at harming the health of, or indeed murdering or eliminating, members of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran, as well as those of other countries. We condemn such actions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Russia’s reaction to Larijani’s death.
Russia, which built and helps run Iran’s only nuclear power station, has strongly criticised the U.S.-Israeli air strikes against Iran, a close partner, and has called for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations.
The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported on Tuesday that Russia has been expanding its intelligence sharing and military cooperation with Tehran, providing satellite imagery and improved drone technology to aid Iran’s targeting of U.S. forces in the region.
Asked about the media report, Peskov suggested it was fake news: ‘As you know, there are currently a great many different reports circulating about this war. The vast majority are nothing more than disinformation, so we do not consider it necessary to comment on each and every one of them.”
“However, official representatives of the United States have made statements on this matter, saying themselves that they have no information on the subject,” he added.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Andrew Osborn Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
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