Russia has said it is ready to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States as tensions escalate over protests in Iran and warnings of possible military action.
Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said Moscow supports a diplomatic solution and is prepared to assist talks “at all levels”, describing Iran as a strategic partner of Russia.
Russian officials have called for de-escalation and opposed any foreign interference in Iran’s internal affairs.
The offer comes as U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled meetings with Iranian officials and this week publicly urged protesters to challenge the government, saying “help is on the way”. Washington has warned that military options remain under consideration.
Switzerland has also indicated it is willing to help facilitate dialogue, citing its long-standing role as a diplomatic intermediary between the United States and Iran, which have had no formal relations since 1980.
The United States said it's withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbours it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.
Iran has been gripped by nationwide protests for nearly three weeks, triggered by economic hardship and later expanding into political demonstrations.
With Iran's leadership trying to quell the worst domestic unrest the Islamic Republic has ever faced, Tehran is seeking to deter U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to intervene on behalf of anti-government protesters.
The U.N. Security Council is due to meet on Iran on Thursday at the request of the United States.
A U.S.-based human rights group says the death toll has exceeded 2,500, while Iranian officials have acknowledged around 2,000 deaths.
Analysts say several regional states, including Gulf countries, may also seek to prevent further escalation, amid concerns that a wider conflict could destabilise the Middle East.
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The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed regional developments, transport connectivity, energy cooperation and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process during talks in Berlin.
Prosecutors on Tuesday began outlining in graphic detail their murder case against the indie pop vocalist known as D4vd, accused of fatally stabbing and dismembering his 14-year-old girlfriend after she threatened to make their relationship public.
Afghanistan recorded 483 suspected cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and 21 deaths in June 2026, a 174.4% increase from May, with the World Health Organization (WHO) linking the surge to livestock contact and animal slaughter during Eid al-Adha.
Türkiye's parliament has approved a two-year extension of the country's military deployment in Somalia, reinforcing deepening security ties between Ankara and Mogadishu as the Horn of Africa nation continues to battle terrorism, piracy and other security threats.
Georgia's fuel imports from Belarus surged by 3,469% in the first half of 2026 as Russia's export bans disrupted regional supplies, highlighting a rapid shift in the country's fuel market.
Tashkent attracted $4.3 billion in foreign direct investment and loans during the first half of 2026, reinforcing its position as Uzbekistan’s leading destination for investment as the capital continued to outpace the national economy.
Pakistan stepped up its economic engagement with the U.S. during Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb's visit to Washington this week, holding talks on investment, development finance and access to international capital markets as Islamabad seeks to broaden its economic partnerships.
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