Russia expressed hope on Sunday that efforts to ease tensions surrounding the Iran conflict would prove successful. The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the United States should help by abandoning its ultimatum-driven approach and steering the situation back toward diplomatic negotiations.
This statement followed a discussion between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Both officials urged restraint, particularly within the United Nations Security Council, to avoid actions that might jeopardize the remaining opportunities for political and diplomatic solutions to the crisis.
Russia reaffirmed its support for de-escalation initiatives, highlighting the importance of achieving a long-term and stable normalization of conditions in the Middle East. The ministry underscored that such progress would be facilitated if the US ceased issuing ultimatums and instead engaged constructively in negotiations.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that Tehran had 48 hours to comply with Washington’s demands or face consequences, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump recalled his earlier ultimatum, when he gave Iran ten days to reach a deal or allow free passage through the strait.
Trump also noted that he extended the nuclear negotiation deadline to ten days after Iran sent ten Pakistani-flagged oil tankers as a goodwill gesture. The region remains on high alert following a joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran launched on February 28, which has resulted in over 1,340 casualties, including the then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In retaliation, Tehran has conducted drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military forces. Additionally, Iran has imposed restrictions on maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
