Russia maintains ties with all parties involved in Middle Eastern conflict diplomat says

Press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov has said that the Russian Federation is committed to engaging with all parties involved in the conflict in the Middle East and is making every effort to reduce tension in the region.

"Russia maintains communication with all parties involved in this conflict. We have contacts with Tehran, as well as with the Israelis and the Palestinians. We are committed to sustaining these interactions," he told journalists, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"Of course, Russia consistently does everything possible to urge all parties to exercise restraint and to support any efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions. We will continue doing this and remain committed to our efforts," Peskov added.    

The diplomat emphasised that the situation in the region remains highly tense.  

"It is crucial to promote restraint," he highlighted.    

On October 26, the Israel Defense Forces announced that they had struck military targets in Iran in response to numerous ongoing attacks. In a statement, Iran's air defence forces reported that military facilities in Ilam, Tehran, and Khuzestan provinces had come under attack. However, the damage was slight and that the country’s air defence systems successfully intercepted most of strikes. 

The Iranian military reported that at least four Iranian servicemen were killed as a result of the strike.   On October 1, Iran launched a significant missile strike against Israel in retaliation for the murder of key figures in the leadership of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (the elite unit of Iran's armed forces).   The Israeli General Staff vowed to respond to the attack. Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran's retaliatory strikes against Israel would be more extensive if provoked further.

By Naila Huseynova