US President Donald Trump urges Russia to resolve its own issues first.
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to mediate peace between Israel and Iran, positioning Moscow as a potential power broker in one of the most volatile standoffs in the Middle East.
Speaking at a roundtable with senior international news editors during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin suggested that Russia’s close ties with both Tehran and Jerusalem could help broker a deal. “It’s a delicate issue,” Putin acknowledged, “but in my view, a solution could be found.
Putin said Moscow had already shared mediation proposals with Iran, Israel, and the United States, and emphasized Russia’s historical involvement in Iran’s civilian nuclear program, including the construction of the Bushehr nuclear plant.
However, Putin’s pitch drew a pointed response from US President Donald Trump, who revealed that he pushed back on the idea during a phone call with the Russian leader last weekend. “I said, ‘Do me a favor, mediate your own,’” Trump recounted. “I said, ‘Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.'”
The remark marks a shift in tone from Trump, who earlier in the week had said he was “open” to Putin’s proposal to help defuse the growing Israel-Iran confrontation.
Russia has long walked a diplomatic tightrope in the Middle East, cultivating deep economic and military ties with Iran while maintaining strong working relations with Israel. That balance, Putin argued, gives Moscow a unique position to mediate, reports Associated Press. “Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran,” Putin said, highlighting its nuclear cooperation, “but we also maintain good relations with Israel.”
Iran reaffirms commitment to diplomacyIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has firmly rejected allegations that Tehran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons. In a statement posted on social media, Araghchi reiterated that Iran has "never sought and will never seek" nuclear arms. He argued that if Iran were truly pursuing such weapons, the ongoing aggression from "the region’s only nuclear-armed regime" would have served as a clear justification. "If otherwise, what better pretext could we possibly need for developing those inhuman weapons than the current aggression?" he wrote. Asserting that Iran is acting strictly in self-defense, Araghchi described the current hostilities as "the most outrageous aggression" against the country. He warned that the international community should be "highly alarmed" by Israel’s efforts to escalate tensions and broaden the conflict. |
