In a bold diplomatic maneuver, Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to intervene with Iran over Gulf countries’ distress from refinery attacks tied to the intensifying regional war. The Kremlin confirmed Putin’s plan to use his leverage in Tehran to soothe Arab apprehensions.
Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesman, shared insights post-Monday’s leader-level calls with four Gulf states. Putin gauged the depth of their unease regarding strikes on energy assets and pledged action. ‘Our strategic partnership with Iran positions us well to assist in tension reduction,’ Peskov conveyed to the press.
Tensions surged after the US and Israel unleashed a sweeping assault on Iran on February 28, hammering cities like Tehran and felling icons such as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Citing nuclear and missile perils, the US rationalized the barrage; Trump beseeched Iranians to topple their rulers.
Tehran’s reprisals targeted Israel and US bases spanning the Gulf—Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia—disrupting refineries and stoking panic. These nations, economic powerhouses fueled by oil, now seek Russia’s bridge-building to prevent catastrophe.
Absent any Putin-Trump parleys, Moscow’s solo initiative carries weight. Success here might avert oil market mayhem and broader escalation, underscoring Russia’s enduring influence in a fracturing Middle East landscape.