Moscow: Russia is ready to support Iran amid the current escalation in the Middle East, contingent on Tehran's specific needs, the Kremlin announced on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has offered mediation efforts and has clearly communicated its stance as a form of support to Iran during a press briefing.

According to Anadolu Agency, the tension between Israel and Iran has intensified since June 1,3 when Israel launched a surprise attack on several Iranian sites, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting retaliatory strikes from Tehran. In a further escalation, the United States targeted three main Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that these strikes caused severe damage to the facilities.

Peskov highlighted the recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow as an opportunity for exchanging opinions and for Iran to share its proposals concerning the current situation. Peskov condemned the increasing number of actors involved in the escalation and expressed deep regret over the situation.

Peskov also mentioned that Iran was a topic of discussion in recent conversations between Putin and Trump, although the Russian president was not informed of the U.S. strikes on Iran. He emphasized Russia's belief that the leadership of a country should be determined by its people, not by external forces.

Despite the U.S. strikes on Iran, Peskov assured that dialogue between Moscow and Washington would continue as these are 'independent processes.' He also noted concerns regarding the potential radiation hazard from the affected nuclear facilities, though the IAEA has reported no signs of radiation contamination at present.