The Israel-Iran conflict has turned into a competition between the two global blocs as US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have put their weight behind Israel and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have rallied around Iran.

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday refused to discuss the possibility that Israel and the United States would kill Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the Iranian people were consolidating around the leadership in Tehran.

From the very beginning of the unprecedented military escalation between Iran and Israel, Russia has expressed its concern about the conflict, in which, until now, hundreds of people have been killed on both sides.