Moscow, March 1 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, describing the death of Iran's Supreme Leader as a "cynical murder," according to Russian state media agency TASS.

In his first official remarks since the targeted operations and the subsequent retaliatory strikes in the region, Putin criticised the nature of the attack.

He stated that the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei violated "all norms of human morality and international law," as per TASS.

Reflecting on ties between Moscow and Tehran, he added that Khamenei would be remembered within the Russian Federation as an "outstanding statesman."

Putin's remarks come amid heightened tensions in West Asia following joint missile stri...