MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Possible developments in the Israeli-Iranian conflict, oil prices are unpredictable, and the Kiev regime delays returning soldiers’ bodies to relatives. These stories topped Tuesday's headlines across Russia.
Israel will continue to carry out its military operation against Iran for as long as necessary, Israeli army spokeswoman Anna Ukolova told Izvestia. Currently, the Jewish state does not see any opportunity for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict with Tehran. Israel intends to continue its operation until the opponent abandons the idea of creating a nuclear weapon, Israeli Ambassador to Moscow Simona Halperin said. Following the three days of air attacks, Tehran has reported over 1,800 injured and more than 220 fatalities while Israel has recorded at least 24 victims on its soil. The Russian Embassy recommended that Russian citizens leave the Jewish state until the situation stabilizes.
During a phone conversation on June 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan supported an immediate halt to combat and the settling of issues related to the Iranian nuclear program.
"Russia may serve as a mediator because we have good relations with both sides. Our treaty with Iran does not imply that we must directly intervene on its side. Overall, the situation is destabilizing the region, the power balance has significantly changed over recent years and not in Iran’s favor. Relations with Israel are also important for Russia, so limiting participation to a facilitating role would be sufficient," Middle East expert Ilya Vedeneyev told Izvestia.
