Israel-Iran conflict: UAE President, Putin express 'deep concern' over ongoing escalation
[Editor's Note: Follow the KT live blog for live updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.]
The leaders of Russia and the UAE on Wednesday warned of "extremely negative consequences" from the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict , as President Vladimir Putin pushed himself as a possible mediator.
In a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Putin "confirmed Russia's readiness to provide mediation assistance to promote dialogue between the parties to the conflict," the Kremlin said in a statement.
The two leaders "expressed deep concern over the continuing escalation of the Iranian-Israeli conflict, which could have extremely negative consequences for the entire region," Moscow added.
Israel launched a massive bombing campaign on Friday that prompted Iran to respond with its own missile and drone strikes.
Russia is close to Iran, having boosted military ties amid its offensive on Ukraine.
But Moscow also strives for good relations with Israel.
Putin has held phone calls Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian offering his role as a peacemaker.
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