Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to mediate between Iran and Israel to prevent a full-scale conflict, amid escalating hostilities following Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.

According to international news agency Reuters, President Putin made separate phone calls to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Peshkerian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging restraint and a return to diplomacy.

In his conversation with President Peshkerian, Putin strongly condemned what he described as “unprovoked” Israeli actions, which he said violated the United Nations Charter. He also expressed condolences over the lives lost during the Israeli attacks on Tehran.

“The Russian Federation condemns Israel’s actions, which run counter to the principles of international law,” the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.

Meanwhile, in a separate call with Netanyahu, the Russian president underscored the need for diplomatic engagement over Iran’s nuclear programme. He stressed that a political solution was the only viable path forward.

“Resolving issues related to Iran’s nuclear activities is possible only through dialogue and political means,” Putin told the Israeli prime minister, according to a Kremlin readout.

The Russian leader’s intervention comes amid a dangerous uptick in regional tensions that analysts fear could spiral into direct conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in an earlier statement, expressed grave concern over the situation, warning that further escalation could derail ongoing international efforts to address Iran’s nuclear file.

“These strikes from Israel were unprovoked and have undermined diplomatic initiatives led by the West to reduce concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme,” Peskov said.

Moscow has positioned itself as a potential broker between the two rivals, maintaining close ties with both Tehran and Tel Aviv, despite their adversarial relations. The Kremlin confirmed that it would remain in contact with both sides in the coming days.

There has been no immediate response from the Israeli or Iranian governments regarding Russia’s mediation offer. However, diplomatic sources have suggested that backchannel communications are already underway in an effort to prevent further escalation.