Russia taking efforts to help Iranian people - Putin

MOSCOW. June 23 (Interfax) - Moscow is taking efforts to help the Iranian people amid an exacerbation of the Middle East crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"For our part, we are taking efforts to assist the Iranian people," Putin said at a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the Kremlin.

The two countries have had strong relations for a long time, Putin said.

"We have long-standing good, strong relations with Iran," he said.

There is no justification for the unprovoked aggression against Iran, Putin said.

"The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran is unfounded and unjustified," Putin said at the meeting.

Araghchi is visiting Russia "in a difficult period of sharp aggravation of the situation in the region and around" Iran, Putin said.

"Our position on these events is well-known, it has been clearly stated, articulated by the Foreign Ministry on Russia's behalf. And you know about the positon that we have taken in the UN Security Council," Putin said.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said after the neeting that Putin and Araghchi discussed various issues in the context of possible achievement of peaceful settlement of the Middle East conflict, but the situation is currently difficult.

"Various issues were discussed, primarily in the context of possible prospects of achieving peace. The conflict parties there have totally different positions on this matter," Peskov told reporters, responding to a question on whether the Iranian foreign minister has asked the Russian president for any assistance besides humanitarian assistance.

"The situation is currently very tense," he said.