India, March 19 -- The killing of Ali Larijani, one of Iran's most influential political and security figures, in a targeted Israeli airstrike in Tehran has triggered a new phase of escalation in the Middle East, drawing swift condemnation from Moscow and raising fears of a widening regional war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin moved quickly to express condolences to Iran's leadership, signaling not only sympathy but also a deepening strategic alignment between Moscow and Tehran at a moment of extraordinary geopolitical volatility. The Kremlin's reaction underscored the gravity of the attack, which Russian officials described as a direct assault on the sovereignty of a major regional power.

Iranian authorities confirmed that Larijani,...