Kremlin says it does not welcome ‘any actions’ that will destabilize Mideast

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin on Tuesday said it does not welcome “any actions” that will destabilize the Middle East, as Washington vowed to “respond” to a drone attack near the Syrian-Jordanian border that killed three US soldiers.

“We do not welcome any actions that lead to destabilization of the situation in the region, which lead to escalation of tension, especially against the backdrop of the already excessive conflict potential that we observe in the region,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in Moscow.

Expressing that Russia, on the contrary, welcomes actions to de-escalate the situation, Peskov said they believe the overall level of tension in the region is “very alarming” and that “now is the time to take steps to de-escalate tension.”

“This is the only thing that can help us prevent the further spread of the conflict, especially in the Middle East, and at least somehow achieve deconflict and de-escalation. Now this is extremely important for us,” Peskov added.

Three US service members were killed and many wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on US forces stationed in northeast Jordan over the weekend.

A group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack.

The US holds Iran responsible as they "fund and train and support and equip these militias" that operate in Iraq and Syria, a Pentagon spokesperson said Monday, a day after US President Joe Biden said they "shall respond" to the attack.