TEHRAN -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says Iran’s “tactful and wise” response to Israeli aggression on its consulate in Syria was the best way to punish the aggressor.
“What the Islamic Republic of Iran did in response to what happened criminally and in the light of the inaction of the Security Council, was the best way to punish the aggressor and represented the tactfulness and rationality of Iran’s politicians,” Putin said in a phone conversation with President Ebrahim Raisi.
The Russian president said the Zionist regime’s “terrorist act” against the Iranian consulate in Damascus was against all international standards and rules.
He also strongly criticized the United States and certain Western countries for creating tension in the region. “We believe that the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the main pillars of stability and security in the region.”
“We firmly declare that we will respond to any action against Iran’s interests with greater force and broader and more painful than the previous response,” President Raisi said in the phone call.
The Iranian president also said Tehran’s response to the Zionist regime was within the framework of international law, saying Israel’s terrorist act was a clear violation of international law and a serious threat to global peace.
“The destructive role of the U.S. and some western countries and the inaction and inefficiency of international institutions, including the United Nations and the Security Council, in dealing with the aggressive action of the Zionist regime in attacking the Iranian consulate in Syria caused the Islamic Republic of Iran to exercise its right to self-defense.”
Raisi further thanked Moscow for its “principled and constructive” stance against the Israeli aggression in Damascus. 
He appreciated the diplomatic efforts of the Russian government to thwart the conspiracies of the United States and certain Western countries in the UN Security Council.
“To those countries that have adopted double standards in the face of the crimes of the Zionist regime and express concerns about escalating tensions in the region, we advise them to rather stop supporting the Zionists genocide and crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people to preserve peace and stability in the region,” Raisi said.