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Russian President Vladimir Putin has held telephone conversations with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the Kremlin has announced. All four countries host major US military bases which have been attacked by Iran as countermeasures following joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran that killed the Iranian Supreme Leader and several senior Iranian officials.
According to a Kremlin statement, the leaders discussed “The unprecedented tragic events in the Middle East in the context of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions. All sides stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and a return to the political-diplomatic process.”
Putin noted that Russia’s significant efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear program issue, in which the UAE had also played an active role, were disrupted by an “unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign UN member state, in violation of the fundamental principles of international law.”
The UAE leader, in turn, emphasized that Iran’s retaliatory strikes had directly affected his country, causing damage and posing a threat to civilians. He stressed that such strikes are unjustified, as UAE territory is not being used as a staging ground for attacks on Iran. Putin expressed readiness to convey these concerns to Tehran and provide assistance to stabilize the situation.
In his call with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, both sides expressed concern over the risks of the conflict expanding and the danger of involving other countries and voiced mutual hope for rapid de-escalation and a return to the political and diplomatic sphere.
Putin also spoke with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who currently chairs the Gulf Cooperation Council. They exchanged views on the “unprecedented escalation around Iran as a result of US and Israeli aggression, which is bringing the entire region to the brink of full-scale war with unpredictable consequences.” Both sides stressed the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent the situation from spiralling completely out of control.
Later in the day, Putin also held a phone call with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, with both sides expressing serious concern over the risks of escalation of the conflict and stressing the urgent need for diplomacy. The Saudi Crown Prince noted that Russia could “play a positive, stabilizing role” in the conflict given its friendly relations with both Iran and the Persian Gulf countries.
The US-Israeli campaign, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” by Washington, is apparently set to take several weeks with President Donald Trump vowing to sustain the assault for weeks if necessary, claiming the operation will continue “until all of our objectives are achieved.”
Russia has condemned the strikes as a “premeditated and unprovoked act of aggression” aimed at toppling a government that “refused to yield to the dictates of force and hegemonic pressure.”
In terms of trade relationships, Russia and Iran have a Free Trade Agreement via the Eurasian Economic Union, while the UAE is negotiating a similar deal. Russia, Iran and the UAE are also full BRICS members while Saudi Arabia is still considering its position. Russia also engages with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In terms of security, Russia and Iran are also full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, (SCO) while Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are all SCO partner states.
