Report: Israel in talks with Russia about de-escalation in Syria, Iran’s nuclear program

Israel is conducting under-the-radar diplomatic talks with Russia concerning both Iran and Syria, the Kan Public Broadcaster says in an unsourced report.

The discussions began roughly a week after the war between Israel and Iran ended in a ceasefire last Tuesday, according to the network, which says Israeli officials see Moscow as a possible conduit for de-escalation in Syria, with whom talks for a potential peace agreement are ongoing, as well as in Iran.

In parallel, Israel is working to draft an enforcement framework with the United States on the Iranian nuclear issue, similar to the understandings reached with Washington regarding Israel’s ceasefire with Lebanon in November last year, the report adds. It says that the effort is expected to be a major topic in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington next week.

Israeli officials hope to establish basic red lines and a mechanism for coordination should Iran escalate its nuclear activity, according to Kan.

Russia played a key role in the deportation of Iran’s enriched uranium supply during the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under the Obama administration.

It is too early to say if Moscow would play a similar role at the current juncture, although Russia notably offered itself as a mediator between Iran and Israel during the June campaign, and did not provide any military support to Iran in the conflict, despite Iran’s assistance of Russia in its war against Ukraine, adds the network.