UPDATE - Moscow sees Israel's intent to pursue military operations against Iran

ADDS REMARKS BY KREMLIN SPOKESMAN

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Moscow sees that Israel continues to signal its intention to pursue military operations against Iran, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

"So far, we see that Israel remains determined to continue its military efforts. At least, that is what has been officially declared," Peskov told a press briefing in St. Petersburg.

He emphasized that any further escalation in the Middle East carries unpredictable consequences and poses a serious risk to many countries, including Russia.

Asked whether Moscow has any red lines regarding the Iranian-Israeli conflict, Peskov replied that, first and foremost, the countries within the region should define such boundaries, warning that the region is steadily sliding into instability and war.

"The conflict we are witnessing threatens to expand geographically, draw in new participants, and trigger unforeseeable outcomes. This deeply concerns us, not least because, unlike others across the ocean, this region lies directly on our borders," he added.

Peskov said the situation inevitably affects the global economy and energy markets and poses a potential danger to Russia's own security.

Russia advocates that the conflict in the Middle East be resolved through diplomacy, he stressed.

"There is always hope and there is always an opportunity for diplomatic efforts. And, as you know, we have certainly condemned the escalation of tension that is taking place in the region. .... We spoke out for the need to move towards a political and diplomatic settlement as soon as possible," he said.

While Russia is not seeking to impose itself as a mediator between Iran and Israel, Peskov said President Vladimir Putin is prepared to offer assistance if needed.

Meanwhile, Moscow continues to maintain communication with Israel through established working channels amid the unfolding tensions.

- Russia-US relations

Commenting on efforts to eliminate longstanding irritants in US-Russia relations, Peskov described the process as “very viscous and difficult.”

“I personally call them the ‘Augean stables’ of our bilateral relations,” he said.

Russia, he added, hopes that new dates will soon be agreed upon for a recent bilateral meeting on normalization that was postponed.

He said Washington provided no clear explanation, but Moscow does not view the cancellation as critical or alarming.

Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump both agree that a face-to-face meeting will be necessary in the future. However, the Kremlin has not speculated on whether such a meeting could take place before the year’s end.

“We now live in such a turbulent and unpredictable world that it is difficult to foresee what might happen even next week,” Peskov said.

He added that discussions on normalizing Russian-US relations and the Ukrainian conflict are continuing via separate diplomatic channels.

The spokesman also mentioned that there is a separate, sensitive track of cooperation between Russian and American intelligence services. “This is a distinct process, and due to its sensitive nature, it remains entirely separate,” he said.