Putin offers to help mediate Middle East war, IRNA says

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call that Moscow was ready to help efforts to mediate the Middle East war, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday.

IRNA said the two leaders discussed what it called the positive and expanding course of relations between Russia and Iran and stressed the need to deepen ties.

On the war, IRNA reported that Putin referred to mediation efforts by some countries and said Russia supported them. Putin said Iran could be assured that Moscow was also ready to play a role and provide assistance, according to the agency.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last month at the United Nations that Moscow was ready to help stabilise the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region.

The Middle East war began in late February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran that killed former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has maintained a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

Russia and Iran have deepened military and trade ties during Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.