MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. The US, Iran aim to restart direct negotiations; Ukraine intensifies strikes on civilian infrastructure after an army reshuffle; and Syria could serve as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. These stories topped Tuesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: US, Iran aim to restart direct negotiations
The United States and Iran resumed talks late on August 3. US President Donald Trump called off a planned attack on Iran in an effort to reach an agreement before the November congressional elections. Meanwhile, Tehran continues to maintain a strong position due to its control of the Strait of Hormuz. Fundamental differences between Washington and Tehran are too deep, while military activities by Israel and the Yemen-based Houthis could spark another round of large-scale escalation in the region at any moment, Izvestia writes.
Vladimir Sazhin, a researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Oriental Studies, believes that regular message exchanges between the parties suggest that both countries are seeking to reduce regional tensions. Further military escalation would not benefit Tehran, as Iran’s economy remains under significant pressure, while any disruption to key land and maritime logistics routes would only worsen the country’s economic crisis.
