Russia unlikely to risk ‘reputation failure’ by intervening in Iran unrest

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Mansur MirovalevJanuary 15, 2026 at 10:12 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

According to a former Russian diplomat and analysts, Russia believes the mass protests in Iran, which began in late December 2025 over economic hardships, have subsided due to Iranian law enforcement. Despite condemning "illegal Western pressure" and external forces allegedly destabilizing Iran, the Kremlin has remained relatively muted on the situation. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman accused the West of using "colour revolution" tactics to incite unrest, echoing past claims. The Ministry also condemned threats from then US President Trump to interfere in the protests. Despite Iran being a key ally, Russian President Putin has not commented publicly on the unrest, mirroring his silence on other international incidents involving allies.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Al Jazeera 30% Masoud Pezeshkian 40% United States 50% Nikita Smagin ×260% Tehran ×260% Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 60% Mariya Zakharova ×260% Donald Trump ×270% Kremlin ×270% Vladimir Putin ×280% Iran ×690% Russia ×590%

Keywords

iran unrest 90% russia 80% protests 70% political tension 60% kremlin 60% colour revolutions 50% economic hardships 50% western pressure 50% us intervention 40%