Russia says ready to assist Iran amid Middle East escalation
ISTANBUL: Russia is ready to assist Iran in various ways amid the ongoing escalation in the Middle East, depending on Tehran's needs, the Kremlin said on Monday.
According to Anadolu Agency, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had offered mediation, but it would depend on what Iran required.
"We have stated our position; this is also a very important manifestation — a form of support for the Iranian side," he said.
Israel and Iran have been engaged in aerial combat since June 13, when Tel Aviv launched a surprise attack on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting retaliatory strikes from Tehran.
Meanwhile, the United States struck three main Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday, with US President Donald Trump claiming severe damage to the facilities and their "obliteration."
Commenting on the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow, Peskov said the talks would allow both sides to exchange views and give Tehran an opportunity to convey its proposals and position on the current situation.
Peskov added that the growing number of actors involved in the conflict was deeply regrettable and condemned by Russia.
"Iran was repeatedly discussed between Putin and Trump during their recent conversations, but the Russian president was not informed of Sunday's strikes.
"We believe that the fate of a country's leadership should be decided by its own people — not by third countries or their leaders," he said, in response to a question about Trump's remarks regarding regime change in Iran.
He added that the US strikes would not affect dialogue between Moscow and Washington, as these were "independent processes".
"It remains to be seen what happened to these nuclear facilities, and whether there is a radiation hazard. Although the IAEA has said there are currently no signs of radiation contamination, these developments are, of course, cause for legitimate concern," Peskov said. — BERNAMA
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