Russian Presidential Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov expressed concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East during a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani.
"In the discussion, significant attention was given to the evolving situation in the Middle East. The Russian side expressed serious concern over the latest dangerous escalation in the region, stemming from unresolved crises, primarily in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone. The importance of resolving existing issues through political and diplomatic means with the assistance of constructive international players was emphasized," stated the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement regarding the meeting held on April 25 in Moscow, on the sidelines of consultations among deputy foreign ministers/special representatives of the BRICS countries on the Middle East and North Africa.
The ministry also noted that during the conversation, the two sides discussed "matters of cooperation within the 'Astana format' aimed at achieving comprehensive and sustainable peace in Syria, as well as other relevant regional topics."
The diplomatic department highlighted that Bogdanov and his Iranian counterpart agreed "to continue an in-depth exchange of views on all matters of mutual interest."
On Destabilization in the Middle East
The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply after fighters from the Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. They claimed the attack as a response to Israeli authorities' actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. In response, Israel declared a complete blockade of Gaza and initiated strikes on the Strip and parts of Lebanon and Syria before launching a ground operation in the enclave. Clashes also erupted in the West Bank.
On the evening of April 13, Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, labeling it as a response to "numerous crimes," including an attack attributed to Israel on the consular section of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus in early April. Tehran emphasized that the attack targeted solely military targets from which the consulate was struck. Britain, the United States, and France assisted Israel in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones.
On April 18, General Ahmad Haqtalab, commander of the nuclear defense and security unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), indicated Tehran's readiness to revise its nuclear doctrine if Israel threatened to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
On April 19, Iranian media reported that three drones were shot down over Isfahan province in Iran. The Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister, Hosein Amir Abdollahian, stated that "no damage was caused by the downed quadcopters." Six days after a massive Iranian strike on Israeli territory, Israel had not officially claimed responsibility for the raid. However, in an interview with The Washington Post, an unnamed Israeli official confirmed that Israel carried out the action to demonstrate its ability to strike targets in Iran.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS