MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to pursue negotiations, warning that any use of force against Tehran would have dangerous consequences and could plunge the Middle East into chaos.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was still significant scope for diplomacy, a day after US President Donald Trump warned Iran to negotiate over its nuclear programme or face possible military action, TASS news agency reported.
“We continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint and to renounce any use of force to resolve issues,” Peskov told reporters.
“Clearly, the potential for negotiations is far from exhausted.”
“Any forceful actions can only create chaos in the region and lead to very dangerous consequences in terms of destabilising the security system throughout the region,” he added.
Peskov reiterated that military action would only worsen instability, stressing that negotiation mechanisms should be prioritised.
US weighs military action
The Kremlin comments came amid reports that Washington is considering new military options against Iran.
On Wednesday, CNN reported, citing sources, that President Trump was exploring plans for possible air strikes.
These reportedly include targeting Iran’s leadership and security officials accused of killing protesters, as well as potential strikes on nuclear facilities and government institutions, according to CNN.
According to the report, Trump has not made a final decision but believes he has more options following the arrival of an aircraft carrier strike group in the Middle East.
CNN said the deliberations followed the failure of preliminary talks between Washington and Tehran on limiting Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Putin seeks regional consultations
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow was closely monitoring developments in Iran and wanted to discuss the situation with the United Arab Emirates.
Putin made the remarks at the start of talks in the Kremlin with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE has recently hosted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Iran vows strong response
Iranian military officials have issued stark warnings in response to US moves in the region.
Iran’s army chief, Amir Hatami, vowed a “crushing response” to any attack, state television reported on Thursday.
“In accordance with the threats we are facing, maintaining and enhancing strategic advantages for rapid combat and a crushing response to any invasion is always on the army’s agenda,” Hatami said.
Iran has also bolstered its military capabilities. Semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the army had received a batch of 1,000 drones, which were distributed among its various branches.
Turkiye offers mediation
Regional concern over the standoff continues to grow. Turkiye said it would offer to help ease tensions between Washington and Tehran during a visit by Iran’s top diplomat, according to AFP.
A Turkish foreign ministry source, cited by AFP, said on Thursday that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would tell his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Friday that Ankara was ready to contribute to resolving the crisis through dialogue.
“Turkiye is ready to contribute to resolving the current tensions through dialogue,” the source said as quoted by AFP.
