Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Wednesday to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting Moscow could help negotiate a settlement that could allow Tehran to pursue a peaceful atomic program while assuaging Israeli security concerns.
Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies, Putin noted that “it’s a delicate issue,” but added that “in my view, a solution could be found.”
Asked how Russia would react if Israel kills Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Putin refused to answer, saying that “I don’t even want to discuss such a possibility.”
Khamenei has rejected U.S. calls for surrender in the face of more Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage to them.”
Putin said he shared Moscow’s proposals with Iran, Israel and the United States.
“We are not imposing anything on anyone; we are simply talking about how we see a possible way out of the situation. But the decision, of course, is up to the political leadership of all these countries, primarily Iran and Israel,” he said.
Putin’s comments follow a mediation offer that he made in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump last weekend.
Trump said Wednesday that he told Putin to stay focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine.
“I said, ‘Do me a favor, mediate your own,’” Trump said he told Putin. “I said, ‘Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.’”
The comments represented a shift for Trump, who earlier this week said he was “open” to Putin’s offer to mediate in the Middle East.
Putin, meeting with senior news leaders of international news agencies including The Associated Press on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, emphasized that Russia has a trusting relationship with Iran and helped built its first nuclear power plant in Bushehr on the Persian Gulf south of Tehran.
He said that over 200 Russian workers are involved in building two more reactors in Bushehr, adding that “we agreed with the Israeli leadership that their security will be ensured.”
Putin emphasized that Tehran hasn’t asked Moscow for military assistance, noting the “strategic partnership” treaty between the countries that was signed in January doesn’t envision such aid.
In addition to a few air defense systems that Russia supplied to Iran in the past, it also offered previously to help create comprehensive air defenses, but Tehran didn’t want it, he said.
“Our proposal was to create a system, not isolated deliveries, but a system,” Putin said. “We used to discuss it in the past, but the Iranian side showed little interest.”
Israel said that it knocked out Iran’s Russia-supplied S-300 air defense missile systems during last year’s strikes.
Putin on Wednesday praised Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine, seconding the American leader’s repeated claims that the 3-year-old conflict wouldn’t have started if he had been in the White House in 2022.
“If Trump had been the president, the conflict indeed might not have erupted,” Putin said.
Russia has intensified its aerial campaign in Ukraine recently and stepped up ground attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) front line. Putin has effectively rejected Trump’s offer of an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine’s mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies.
He said he is open for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but repeated his claim that he lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year — allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
“We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement,” Putin said, noting the previous round of talks had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers.