MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday issued a call for restraint rover a potential US attack on Iran, emphasising that its naval exercises with Iran were pre-scheduled and “not a cause for alarm.”
Multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday that the United States military is positioned to carry out potential strikes on Iran as early as this weekend, citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter.
Despite the reported military readiness, President Donald Trump has not made a final decision on whether to authorise any attack.
Diplomatic efforts are still being made as the preferred course of action, as Washington continues to push for a negotiated resolution.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran must halt its nuclear programme, warning that military force remains an option if a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, according to reports by The Guardian.
The reports from The New York Times, CBS News, and CNN, indicate that the United States has deployed sufficient air and naval assets across the Middle East to enable a rapid offensive should an order be given. The developments suggest heightened tensions in the region, even as diplomatic channels remain open.
Russia and Iran launched joint naval exercises in the Sea of Oman on Thursday. “These are planned exercises and they are agreed upon in advance,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“Russia continues to develop relations with Iran and in doing so, we call on our Iranian friends and all parties in the region to exercise restraint and prudence” he added.
Moscow was calling for “political and diplomatic means to be given absolute priority in resolving various issues”, Peskov said.
“We are currently witnessing an unprecedented escalation of tension in the region, but we still hope that political and diplomatic means and negotiations will continue to prevail in the search for a settlement,” Peskov said.
Tensions between the United States and Iran had already intensified in June, when American forces conducted strikes on key Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities. Around the same time, Israeli aircraft reportedly targeted dozens of sites, including a long-range missile installation in the city of Yazd.
Amid the renewed tension, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated on Wednesday that Tehran is preparing an initial framework aimed at moving future nuclear negotiations forward with Washington. He made the comments during a phone conversation with Rafael Grossi, head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
According to a statement from Iran’s foreign ministry, Araghchi stressed the Islamic Republic’s commitment to developing “a coherent initial framework” to facilitate continued dialogue.
The discussion took place a day after a second round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States concluded in Geneva. The negotiations were mediated by Oman, which has played a recurring role in facilitating diplomatic contacts between the two sides.
