Iran has not asked Russia for military help since the start of the conflict with the United States and Israel, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on March 5.

The comments come a day after Israeli jets shot down a Russian-made jet over the skies above Tehran on March 4 in the first direct hit between fighter jets. 

Asked whether Moscow planned to provide assistance to Tehran, including arms supplies, Peskov said: "In this case, there have been no requests from the Iranian side."

He said Russia's "consistent position" on the conflict was "well known to everyone" and that "there have been no changes here."

Peskov also said the war in Iran "cannot and should not be the reason for any price fluctuations" on fuel in Russia, seeking to insulate domestic energy markets from the global disruption caused by the conflict.

The statement appears designed to maintain Moscow's careful balancing act. Russia has condemned the US-Israeli strikes and expressed condolences over Khamenei's killing, but has stopped short of offering direct military support to Tehran despite the two countries' close strategic relationship.

Iran's ambassador to Uzbekistan said on March 4 that the Islamic Republic had not requested help from any country and was capable of defending itself.

Russia and Iran have deepened military cooperation in recent years, with Iranian pilots training on Russian Yak-130 combat aircraft ahead of expected Su-35 deliveries by the end of 2026.

Russian personnel are also stationed at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, which the IAEA confirmed on March 4 had not been damaged in the strikes.

Some 50,000 Russian tourists remain stranded across Middle Eastern countries due to airspace closures, while the Russian tourism industry has reported losses exceeding RUB2.5bn ($27mn) since the conflict began on February 28.