Russia says ready to help Iran amid escalation in Middle East

ISTANBUL

Russia is ready to help Iran in various ways amid the ongoing escalation in the Middle East, but it depends on Tehran’s needs, the Kremlin said on Monday.

“It all depends on what Iran needs. We have offered our mediation efforts. This is specific. We have stated our position, this is also a very important manifestation, a form of support for the Iranian side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in a press briefing.

Israel and Iran have been engaged in aerial combat since June 1,3 when Tel Aviv launched a surprise attack on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

The US, meanwhile, struck three main Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday, with US President Donald Trump claiming severe damage to the facilities and "obliteration."

Regarding the contacts between President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow, Peskov said the talks would provide the chance to exchange opinions and would give Tehran the chance to inform Moscow of its proposals and vision concerning the current situation.

Peskov said there has been an increase in the number of actors in the current escalation, saying: "And of course, we condemn this and express deep regret in this regard."

He said 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 the leadership of a country should be decided by the people of that country, but in no way by third countries or the leadership of third countries,” Peskov said, responding to a question on Trump's remarks regarding a change of power in Iran.

He said US strikes on Iran will not affect the dialogue between Moscow and Washington because these are “independent processes.”

“It remains to be seen what happened to these nuclear facilities, whether there is a radiation hazard. Although we have heard a statement from the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) that there are currently no signs of radiation contamination. But these are all questions that, of course, cannot but cause legitimate concern,” Peskov added.