Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his support for a swift de-escalation of the conflict involving Iran during a call with Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday. The Kremlin statement highlighted that this was the second conversation between the two leaders in less than a month, following an earlier one held last Friday.
During their discussions, Putin and Pezeshkian discussed the current situation in the Middle East, particularly focusing on US-Israeli strikes against Iran. The Russian president underscored his stance for de-escalation through political means while praising Russia’s support for humanitarian aid to Iran.
The escalation of regional tensions began following an unprovoked attack by Israel and the United States on Iran on February 28, which has resulted in over 1,200 casualties. Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting countries hosting US military assets, including Gulf states, and disrupting global markets.
In separate conversations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also discussed regional developments with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. Lavrov reiterated Russia’s commitment to facilitating a swift de-escalation while taking into account Iran’s security interests in the region.
This latest round of communications between Putin and Trump, which took place just one day after their previous discussion, underscores ongoing negotiations about how to resolve conflicts in the Middle East. The Kremlin stated that Trump had proposed various avenues for Russian mediation aimed at reducing tensions.
However, media reports suggest some tension exists between the United States and Russia regarding Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium. According to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin told Trump that Moscow had not been sharing intelligence with Iran about the locations of its military assets. This assertion was made in a call between Putin and Donald Trump, discussed by a presidential aide.
Regarding the proposed visit by President Vladimir Putin to Israel, which was initially planned but later canceled due to US concerns over Israeli strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, Witkoff clarified that there were no fundamental differences with Israel and the visit would proceed as scheduled next week.
The situation in the Middle East continues to be fraught with high-stakes negotiations between Russia, Iran, and the United States. The ongoing debates about de-escalation efforts and potential military responses are set against the backdrop of significant geopolitical shifts impacting global markets and regional security.