Putin condemns U.S. attack on Iran

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Iran's foreign minister on Monday there was no justification for the U.S. bombing of his country and that Moscow was trying to help the Iranian people.

Putin hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Moscow two days after U.S. President Donald Trump sent U.S. bomber planes to strike Iran's three main nuclear sites, Reuters reported.

"For our part, we are making efforts to assist the Iranian people," he added.

"I am very glad that you are in Moscow today, this will give us the opportunity to discuss all these pressing issues and think together about how we could get out of today's situation."

Araqchi told Putin that Iran was conducting legitimate self-defence, and thanked Russia for condemning the U.S. actions. He conveyed best wishes to Putin from Iran's supreme leader and president.

"Russia is today on the right side of history and international law," said Araqchi.

It was unclear, however, what Russia might do to support Iran, an important ally with which Putin signed a strategic cooperation treaty in January. That agreement did not include a mutual defence clause.

Before Saturday's U.S. strikes, Moscow had warned that U.S. military intervention could destabilise the entire region and plunge it into the "abyss".