ISTANBUL
The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russia would perceive a potential spillover of the war involving Iran into the Caspian Sea “extremely negatively.”
The remark was made by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during a press briefing in response to a question about how Moscow would view a spillover of the situation around Iran into the region.
Peskov declined to comment on reports that Israel struck vessels allegedly transporting Russian weapons to Iran via the Caspian Sea.
“As for these specific reports, we haven't heard them. Frankly, I don't have any information on this matter,” Peskov said.
On Thursday, Israel’s army said its air force carried out strikes Wednesday targeting Iranian naval infrastructure in the Caspian Sea, including a military port where dozens of naval vessels are docked.
The statement claimed the attacks also hit “military vessels equipped with air defense systems and anti-submarine missiles,” as well as “a central command headquarters from which Iranian naval activity in the region is managed.”
The strikes marked the first such attacks since the start of the US and Israel’s joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure, while disrupting global markets and aviation.
The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the Wednesday attacks, saying the “reckless and irresponsible” actions pose a threat of “dragging the Caspian states into the military conflict.”
It further called for an urgent cessation of hostilities and renewed commitment to efforts for a political settlement of the situation in the Middle East, saying the conflict is increasingly projecting its impact onto neighboring regions.