MOSCOW – The Kremlin announced Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to communicate Arab nations’ anxieties to Iran regarding Tehran’s attacks on regional oil facilities, as Middle East tensions continue escalating.
On Monday, Putin conducted multiple telephone conversations with leaders from four Arab Gulf nations, proposing to leverage Moscow’s diplomatic relationship with Tehran – which Russia considers a strategic ally – in an effort to reduce regional hostilities.
“Putin will certainly make every effort to contribute to at least a slight easing of tensions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
“Yesterday’s discussions with virtually all of his interlocutors focused on Putin conveying his deep concern about the strikes on their infrastructure to our colleagues in Iran, taking advantage of the dialogue we maintain with the Iranian leadership,” Peskov explained.
Global oil markets experienced their third consecutive day of price increases Tuesday as Iran retaliated against American and Israeli operations by targeting energy facilities in Gulf nations and attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
While Putin sent condolences to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s family through a message to President Masoud Pezeshkian over the weekend, the Kremlin has not announced additional communications with top Iranian officials since Saturday’s strikes commenced.
The Russian leader has also avoided contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, with Peskov confirming no such discussion is currently scheduled.
