Russia 'seriously concerned' over conflict in Gulf, offers to facilitate diplomatic solution

Russia said Thursday that it is "seriously concerned" over the escalating conflict in the Gulf, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities and offering to help broker a diplomatic solution.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the scale of damage to energy and other vital infrastructure in Iran and neighboring Arab states is growing and called the conflict the result of "unprovoked aggression" by the United States and Israel.

Moscow said it was "ready to facilitate the resolution of the conflict" through political and diplomatic means, with the aim of achieving "long-term sustainable stabilization" in the region.

It stressed, however, that the first step toward any resolution must be the "immediate renunciation" by Washington and Tel Aviv of their "military adventure."

Russia has previously confirmed military cooperation with Iran, though it denied sharing intelligence on the location of US assets after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally assured US President Donald Trump that no such sharing was taking place.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28 and have reportedly killed around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.