Asked on Tuesday about potential US airstrikes on Iran, the Kremlin said tensions in the Middle East were high and that steps were needed to de-escalate, not destabilize the wider region.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed on Monday that the US would take “all necessary actions” to defend its troops after a deadly drone strike in Jordan by Iran-backed fighters, even as President Joe Biden’s administration stressed it does not want war with Iran.
“We do not welcome any actions that lead to destabilization in the region and increase tensions, especially due to the excessive potential for conflicts,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
We will not welcome the continuation of such actions, regardless of who they come from. The tension level is now high and we must take steps to de-escalate. This is what will prevent the spread of the conflict – he said.
Russia is drawing closer ties to Iran at a time when its relations with the United States are at their lowest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis over what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, Reuters reports.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Iran is disrupting stability in the region after a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington.
At the press conference, Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of the unity of democratic nations and the common opposition against “authoritarian regimes”.
Stating that security is a global issue, Stoltenberg stressed that NATO is “of vital importance” in the fight against global challenges.
Speaking about the Middle East, Stoltenberg stated that Iran “shows an oppressive attitude at home and an aggressive attitude abroad” and added: “Iran is responsible for destabilizing the Middle East, which needs stability and security.”
Expressing deep concern over Iran’s support for the Houthis who are attacking ships in the Red Sea, Stoltenberg said the actions carry the risk of escalating tensions in the region.
Stoltenberg believes that Russia’s victory in the Russo-Ukrainian war would encourage Iran, North Korea and China, but that it would also pose a serious threat to Europe and the US.
He underlined the importance of NATO allies’ support to Ukraine as an investment in their collective security, saying:
“The support given to Ukraine is not charity, but an investment in our own security. President Putin started this war and he can end it today if he stops attacking his neighbor. The war can end if Ukraine stops defending itself, but that does not mean peace, that means Russian occupation, and occupation is not peace.”
Stoltenberg further stated that Russia should accept the existence of Ukraine as a sovereign and independent state.
“What happens on the negotiating table is inextricably linked to the situation on the battlefield. Therefore, if we want a lasting and just peace, we must provide Ukraine with more weapons and ammunition. Giving Ukraine weapons is the way to peace,” Stoltenberg believes.
He expressed satisfaction that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey approved Sweden’s full membership in NATO.
Pointing out that the US and NATO together make up 50 percent of the world’s economic and military power, Stoltenberg said:
“China and Russia don’t have the power of NATO. That’s why they always try to undermine our unity.”, AA writes.
