Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to position himself as a peacemaker and a potential mediator between Iran and the Persian Gulf countries amid the ongoing American-Israeli operation against Iran. This is stated in a material by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reported by UNN.
Details
It is noted that on the eve, Putin spoke with several leaders of the Persian Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In each of these phone calls, Putin emphasized Russia's readiness to contribute to stabilizing the situation around Iran and the Persian Gulf countries, as well as the need for an urgent diplomatic resolution of the conflict. Putin noted how much Russia has done in the past to promote a peaceful settlement of situations regarding Iran's nuclear program and to find mutually acceptable compromises
According to their assessments, Putin is trying to balance maintaining relations with partners, including Iran, while simultaneously conducting outreach to Persian Gulf countries and positioning himself as a mediator in response to the growing military escalation in the Middle East. Putin also tried to position himself as a mediator between Iran and the Persian Gulf countries after the Israeli-Iranian war in June 2025.
Recall
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the war in Iran demonstrates Russia's weakness as an ally and is a signal to Putin about the consequences of dictatorship.