As the war in West Asia is nearing two weeks, Russia has called on the United States and Israel to stop their attacks on Iran, while seeking resumption of negotiations, Al Jazeera has reported.
Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson of Russia, has made an appeal and said that Moscow was pushing for steps that could reduce tensions and bring the conflict back on the diplomatic track. She has called the continuing escalation "deeply worrying" and has warned that the humanitarian situation across the region has become extremely difficult.
The war has now entered its 13th day, as the US and Israel have kept pounding sites in Iran. More than 1,300 people have been killed in these strikes, including Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the New York Times has reported.
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Iran's retaliatory strikes into Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and others, have also left dozens dead, the NYT reported. Besides, Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has brought about a global oil crisis, with crude oil prices skyrocketing and nations reporting an acute shortage of fuel.
Russia's appeal for diplomatic recourse comes amid its own war with Ukraine, which has now entered its fifth year, with no end in sight. The appeal comes two days after US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, had a long telephone discussion over the war in Iran and prospects for peace.
Putin had earlier warned that the global energy crisis was threatening the world economy. Hours after his remarks, Trump called him, and they discussed ideas for a speedy end to the conflict in Iran.
"I had a very good call with President Putin," Trump said at a press conference at his Florida golf club, adding that Putin wanted to be helpful on Iran. "I said, 'You could be more helpful by getting the Ukraine-Russia war over with. That will be more helpful."
Putin had said earlier that the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran had triggered a global energy crisis, while cautioning that oil production dependent on transport through the Strait of Hormuz near Iran's coast could soon come to a halt. Meanwhile, Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom has said it will stay in Iran, despite the conflict. Head of the corporation, Alexei Likhachev, has said it is committed to the agreement to build two more units at the Bushehr nuclear plant.
Also Read: Trump Signals Possible End To Iran War, Floats Removing Oil Sanctions
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