Putin Urges Middle East Ceasefire, Offers to Convey Gulf Concerns to Iran

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East amid escalating conflict following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. In phone calls with Gulf leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, Putin emphasized the need to return to diplomatic talks and offered to convey Gulf concerns about Iranian retaliatory strikes to Tehran. The Kremlin condemned attacks on civilian targets and expressed worries about the conflict's expansion and involvement of third countries, while seeking to stabilize the region through Russia's ties with both Iran and Gulf states.