Russia urges restraint after Trump warns Iran of possible strike

The Kremlin urges all parties to refrain from escalation over Iran after US President Donald Trump said Washington could support another strike on the Islamic Republic if it continues to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump suggested yesterday that Tehran may be working to restore its weapons programs after a US strike in June.

“I’ve been reading that they’re building up weapons and other things, and if they are, they’re not using the sites we obliterated, but possibly different sites,” Trump told reporters during a news conference.

Moscow, which has cultivated closer ties with Tehran since the start of its war in Ukraine, urges de-escalation.

“We believe that it is necessary to refrain from any steps that could escalate tensions in the region, and we believe that, first and foremost, dialogue with Iran is necessary,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells reporters. He says Russia would continue to cultivate close ties with Iran.

US forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites after joining Israel’s 12-day military campaign against Tehran in June. Trump said at the time that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s facilities, although assessments on the matter have varied.

Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership treaty this year. The West has accused Tehran of providing missiles and drones for Russian attacks on Ukraine, something the Islamic Republic denies.