Putin tells Netanyahu issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme must be solved through diplomacy

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in separate telephone conversations on Friday, told Iran’s president that Moscow condemned Israel’s actions against Tehran and told Israel’s prime minister that questions around Iran’s nuclear programme could only be solved through diplomacy.

A Kremlin statement said Putin told Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian that Russia “condemns the actions of Israel taken in violation of the U.N. Charter” and expressed condolences for those killed.

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The statement said Putin, in his conversation with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu “stressed the importance of a return to the process of talks and resolution of all issues concerning Iran’s nuclear programme strictly through political and diplomatic means”.

The Kremlin statement said Russia would remain in close contact with both Iran and Israel.