Moscow: Russia is making efforts to de-escalate the situation in the Gulf through discussions, the Kremlin said on Tuesday evening.
Russian president Vladimir Putin is in close contact with leaders in the region, even as Iran continued to attack multiple countries that have US military bases.
“Putin will certainly make every effort to facilitate at least a minor easing of tensions. In this regard, we discussed with virtually all of our interlocutors yesterday,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“Taking advantage of the dialogue we maintain with the Iranian leadership, (President) Putin will convey his deep concern regarding the strikes on their infrastructure to our colleagues in Iran,” he added, as reported by PTI.
Putin spoke over telephone with leaders of Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, the Kremlin said.
Putin is said to have discussed the escalating situation in the region as a result of the American-Israeli armed aggression against Iran, with Crown Prince and chairman of the Council of Ministers of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.
“Both sides expressed serious concern over the real risks of escalation of the conflict, which has already affected several Arab countries and is fraught with catastrophic consequences. In this context, Vladimir Putin underscored the urgent need to resolve the current extremely dangerous situation through political and diplomatic means,” the Kremlin said.
Putin also had telephonic contacts with the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who currently chairs the Gulf Cooperation Council, Emir of the State of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“Exchange of views was held regarding the unprecedented escalation around Iran as a result of US and Israeli aggression, which is bringing the entire region to the brink of a full-scale war with unpredictable consequences. Sides underscored the need for a swift cessation of hostilities to prevent the situation from spiralling completely out of control and to return it to a political and diplomatic framework,” Moscow said.
Tensions in the Gulf threaten the security of many Arab states with which Russia maintains friendly relations.
Under these circumstances, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to use all available means to actively contribute to stabilising the situation in the region, the Kremlin said, adding that contacts with the Gulf leaders will continue.