Kremlin spokesman says Russia's proposal to store Iranian uranium ‘remains on the table,' but notes situation has become ‘seriously complicated' due to latest Israel-Iran escalation
The Kremlin on Monday said Moscow is ready to do everything necessary to eliminate the “root causes” of the crisis in the Middle East, as US President Donald Trump said he would be “open” to mediation by his Russian counterpart.
“Russia remains ready to do whatever is necessary to eliminate the root causes of this crisis. The situation has escalated more than seriously,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in a briefing, reaffirming Moscow's readiness to provide its mediation to resolve the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran “if necessary.”
Peskov's remarks come a day after Trump told ABC News that he would be “open” to Russian President Vladimir Putin being a mediator in the conflict that began early Friday with Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities.
Putin expressed Russia's readiness to mediate between Tel Aviv and Tehran amid separate phone calls on the same day with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Indicating Moscow maintains contacts with both countries and drawing attention to the need to avoid actions that may threaten the lives of Russian citizens, Peskov said: “We condemn the actions that have led to such a dangerous escalation of tensions.”
He further said that some Russian citizens have already been evacuated from Iran via Azerbaijan, and that the Kremlin has seen Netanyahu's Sunday remarks to Fox News that a regime change in Iran could be a result of Israel's attacks.
“We are noting a significant consolidation of society in Iran against the backdrop of the bombings carried out by the Israeli side,” Peskov went on to say.
The spokesman also said Moscow's proposal to store Iranian uranium in Russia “remains on the table,” but that the start of the recent Iran-Israel conflict has made the situation surrounding Tehran's nuclear program “seriously complicated.”
Regional tensions have escalated since Friday when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.
Israeli authorities said that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since Friday.
Iran, for its part, said that at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault.
