The headline
A phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart in Russian-allied Iran on the “disastrous” danger of an escalated conflict was described by the Kremlin as occurring on Tuesday. The call occurred days after Iran attempted to attack Israel in response to an airstrike on its embassy in Syria.
Vital Facts
According to the Kremlin, Putin “expressed hope” in the call that “reasonable restraint” would be demonstrated by all parties in order to avert a “new round of confrontation, fraught with catastrophic consequences for the entire region.”
Putin was briefed by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to the Kremlin, that Israel’s attacks were “forced and limited,” and that Iran has no desire for “a further escalation of tensions.”
Both Russia and Iran, according to their respective leaders, “support an immediate ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas, which they both identify as the “underlying cause” of the Middle Eastern conflict.
Important Background
On Saturday, Iran executed a highly anticipated assault on Israel in retaliation for what appeared to be an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria earlier this month, which claimed the lives of six Iranian nationals and a senior commander. Israel has not acknowledged publicly culpability for the airstrike; however, the Iranian government placed the blame on Israel and threatened retaliation.
Iran declared that its attacks against Israel had “concluded” and threatened a “significantly more severe” escalation. Since October 7, when Hamas, an organization affiliated with Iran, launched an attack on Israel, tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated, prompting Israel to occupy the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas.
What To Observe
Monday, the chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, General Herzi Halevi, reportedly stated that an Israeli response to the Iranian missile assaults is imminent. Several international leaders, including British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and French President Emmanuel Macron, urged Israel to exercise restraint in order to prevent a further escalation in the Middle East. This action prompted the announcement.
