Putin offers to mediate ceasefire efforts in call with Iranian counterpart

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call that he is ready to help mediate efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, the Kremlin says.

“Vladimir Putin emphasized his readiness to further facilitate the search for a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict, and to mediate efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” the Kremlin says in its readout of the call.

Meanwhile, a European Union spokesman stresses the “essential” need for diplomacy to resolve the war, in a statement on yesterday’s failed US-Iranian talks in Pakistan.

EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni says “we salute Pakistan for its mediation efforts,” and confirms Brussels will contribute to further efforts to reach a settlement in coordination with its partners.