Russia Welcomes Israel-Iran Truce, Urges Lasting Calm in Middle East: Ushakov

Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, calling it a crucial step to halt a cycle of escalating retaliatory strikes that had threatened to spiral into broader conflict across the Middle East.

"The main thing now is that the parties have reached a truce. We can only welcome this," Ushakov said during a briefing, according to Russian state reports. 

Image Source: Russian Embassy

"At least for now, the retaliatory strikes have stopped. Each blow was met with a counter-blow. The situation was escalating, but now it has been suspended."

Expressing hope for stability, Ushakov added, "We hope that this will continue for a long time and will not lead to another escalation of the situation."

The conflict erupted on June 13 when Israel launched military strikes on Iran, followed by a series of Iranian retaliations. 

The hostilities further intensified when the United States entered the fray on June 22, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan in a high-risk operation dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer. 

In response, Tehran struck the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar the next day.

After nearly two weeks of intense fighting, President Donald Trump announced a "complete and total ceasefire" on June 24. 

While both Israel and Iran declared the completion of their respective military objectives, tensions remain fragile, with intermittent violations reported by Israeli defense officials.

Moscow, which has repeatedly warned against foreign military interventions in the region, has called for restraint from all sides and continues to advocate for renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent further destabilization.