Russia warns US over Iran intervention as Putin, Xi urge ceasefire
The warning came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping condemned Israeli strikes on Iran in a phone call and urged diplomacy to end the conflict.
'We would like to particularly warn Washington against military intervention in the situation,' Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing, adding that any US action 'would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences.'
The diplomatic push follows a series of unprecedented strikes exchanged between 'Israel' and Iran. Last week, 'Israel' launched a wave of attacks targeting Iranian territory, to which Tehran responded with a barrage of drones and missiles.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he was weighing the possibility of joining the strikes. 'I may do it, I may not do it,' he told reporters, leaving the door open for American involvement.
Earlier on Thursday, the Kremlin said Putin and Xi 'strongly condemn Israel's actions,' emphasizing that the conflict must be resolved through political and diplomatic means. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said both Moscow and Beijing agree that 'the end to the hostilities should be achieved exclusively by political and diplomatic means.'
Xi: Ceasefire is top priority
Chinese state media reported that Xi urged 'Israel' to halt its military actions and called a ceasefire the 'top priority.'
'Promoting a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities is the top priority. Armed force is not the correct way to resolve international disputes,' Xi said, according to Xinhua.
'Parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease hostilities as soon as possible to prevent a cyclical escalation and resolutely avoid the spillover of the war,' he added.
Putin positions himself as mediator
Putin has presented himself as a potential mediator between Iran and 'Israel'. Despite his close ties to Tehran—strengthened further during Russia's war in Ukraine—he also maintains diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv.
Last week, Putin spoke by phone with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering Russia's help in brokering a resolution.
Xi reportedly backed Putin's mediation efforts. 'He believes that it could serve to de-escalate the current situation,' Ushakov said.
However, Putin's overture has been met with skepticism in the West.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
32 minutes ago
- Roya News
West Bank witnesses 40% surge in 'Israeli' settlements under Netanyahu's rule
A recent report from 'Israel's' Channel 12 reveals an unprecedented escalation in 'Israeli' settlement construction across the West Bank since the formation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in late 2022. The channel indicates a substantial 40 percent increase in the number of settlements, which has grown from 128 to 178, coinciding with a dramatic rise in the demolition of Palestinian residences. This disclosure comes on the heels of a letter signed by 14 Likud Party ministers, including Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, calling on Netanyahu to immediately annex the occupied territory. While 'Israeli' authorities have often shown minimal concern regarding settler violence against Palestinians, recent assaults targeting 'Israeli' soldiers and police officers have drawn considerable attention from across the 'Israeli' political spectrum. Just last week, a violent settler attack on June 28 in Kafr Malik, a town in the central West Bank, resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians and left seven others injured. According to Channel 12, the concerted efforts behind the establishment of dozens of new settlements, the rapid pace of illegal outpost creation, the development of strategic roads, and extensive Palestinian building demolitions are all designed to consolidate Jewish control over the area, thereby effectively dismantling the prospect of a two-state solution. "No government has ever encouraged settlement as much as this one," stated Meir Deutsch, CEO of the hardline Regavim movement, as quoted by the channel. He further asserted, "Israel is managing Judea and Samaria as the homeowner for the first time since the state's establishment (1948/Palestinian Nakba)." The report details the announcement of at least 50 new settlements in the West Bank since the current government assumed power. Research data suggests that 19 of these newly recognized settlements were already in existence, seven are now designated as grazing farms, 14 are new neighborhoods integrated into existing settlements, and 10 exist purely as plans on paper. In parallel with the creation of these new settlements, construction within existing West Bank settlements has shattered previous records over the past two and a half years, intensifying significantly since early 2025. The channel indicated that permits for 41,709 settler homes have been approved—a figure that exceeds the total recorded during the six years preceding Netanyahu's current administration. By the end of 2024, the number of illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank had climbed to 214, with 66 of these emerging during the Israeli war in Gaza. The channel also highlighted a nearly 300 percent increase in outposts during the current government's first two years, in comparison to the previous two-year period. The majority of these newly established illegal outposts are agricultural, seizing vast areas of land. These grazing lands now reportedly encompass approximately 787 square kilometers, primarily concentrated in the central and eastern West Bank. The report also pointed to a corresponding rise in the settler population. Data from the West Bank settlements council Yesha indicates that between 2013 and 2023, the number of settlers increased by 38 percent, from 374,000 to 517,000.
Roya News
7 hours ago
- Roya News
Hamas' new leader says will only accept 'honorable deal': report
As the United States intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire between 'Israel' and Hamas, the group's decision on a potential deal now largely rests with its newly appointed de facto leader in Gaza, Izz al-Din al-Haddad. He assumed command of Hamas's military wing following the killing of Muhammad Sinwar in an airstrike by the 'Israeli' air force. The 'Israeli' military spokesman Effie Defrin said Thursday that al-Haddad, believed to be in his mid-50s, is the new leader. Officials indicate that al-Haddad played a role in planning the October 7, 2023 attack on 'Israel' and is a staunch opponent of efforts to dismantle Hamas. His hardline stance suggests he could obstruct any deal requiring the release of all remaining captives before a complete end to the war in Gaza and a full 'Israeli' withdrawal. According to a senior Middle Eastern intelligence official cited in a report by The New York Times, al-Haddad has recently said he will pursue either an "honorable deal" or a "war of liberation or a war of martyrdom." Indirect talks between 'Israel' and Hamas have repeatedly stalled, primarily over the permanence of any cease-fire. Hamas demands a lasting end to the war, while 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on dismantling the group's military and governing capabilities. Al-Haddad is one of the few surviving commanders left from Hamas's high-level military council. While 'Israel' has failed to kill al-Haddad, his eldest son and a close aide have reportedly been killed in the war.
Jordan News
9 hours ago
- Jordan News
Martyrs and Injuries in Israeli Massacres Across Several Areas in Gaza Strip - Jordan News
Martyrs and Injuries in Israeli Massacres Across Several Areas in Gaza Strip Seven Palestinians were martyred and others injured early Saturday morning after Israeli warplanes bombed tents sheltering displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. اضافة اعلان According to Palestinian medical sources, two additional civilians were killed in an airstrike targeting a home in Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Two more people were martyred and others wounded in a separate strike on a home in Al-Maghazi camp, also in central Gaza. The sources added that four civilians were martyred in a strike targeting a tent in Al-Mawasi area of Al-Qarara town, northwest of Khan Younis. Additionally, five people were killed in an Israeli strike on Al-Shafa'i School in the Asqoula area of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in southeastern Gaza City. — (Petra)
