STORY: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday (June 23) that the involvement of powers from outside the Middle East in the conflict with Iran was moving the world towards great danger.

Earlier Putin hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Moscow and told him that there was no justification for the U.S. bombing of his country and that Moscow was trying to help the Iranian people.

Putin also stated that Russia is stepping up production of its Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile, which it launched for the first time against Ukraine last November.

"Serial production of the latest Oreshnik medium-range missile system is under way," Putin told a graduating class of military cadets in televised comments.

The system has "proven itself very well in combat conditions," he added.

Russia first used the Oreshnik (Hazel tree) against Ukraine on November 21, when Putin said it had fired the missile at a defense enterprise in the city of Dnipro.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYING MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT IS MOVING WORLD TO VERY DANGEROUS LINE / SAYING RUSSIA IS RAMPING UP MASS PRODUCTION OF ORESHNIK MISSILE COMPLEX

EDITORS NOTE: REFILING TO ADJUST VIDEO, AS PREVIOUS VERSION WAS ONE FRAME OUT OF SYNC

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 23, 2025) (RUSSIAN POOL - Access all)

1. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ENTERING HALL AND COMING TO TRIBUNE

2. GRADUATES OF MILITARY SCHOOLS AND MILITARY PERSONNEL TAKE SEATS

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Dear friends, the current international situation is changing dynamically. We can see how the situation in the Middle East has sharply escalated. Non-regional states are also being drawn into the conflict. All of this brings world to a very dangerous line."

4. VARIOUS OF GRADUATES AND MILITARY PERSONNEL LISTENING TO PUTIN

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Moreover, mass production of the latest Oreshnik medium-range missile system is under way, which has proven itself very well in combat conditions. And the navy will have new ships and submarines equipped with latest high-precision weapons."

6. PUTIN DELIVERING SPEECH FROM TRIBUNE

7. HEAD OF RUSSIA'S INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE ALEXANDER BASTRYKIN AND GRADUATES LISTENING TO PUTIN