Kremlin says Russia ‘extremely concerned’ about situation in Middle East

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin on Monday said Russia is “extremely concerned” about the situation in the Middle East amid recent tensions between Iran and Israel.

“We are extremely concerned about the escalation of tensions in the region. We call on all countries in the region to show restraint,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in Moscow.

Expressing that further escalation in the region is in “no one's interests,” Peskov said Russia advocates that all disagreements are resolved by political and diplomatic means.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel late on Saturday in response to the April 1 attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus.

The attack, which killed seven Iranian military officials, including a senior IRGC commander, drew sharp reactions from the Iranian government officials, who vowed a "decisive response."

According to some unconfirmed reports, the IRGC fired more than 300 drones and missiles in an attack that lasted several hours, many of which were intercepted by Israeli air defense systems.

However, IRGC commander Gen. Hossein Salami told reporters in Tehran on Sunday morning that the operation was successful more than they had expected.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that Israel may decide to retaliate, which experts believe could trigger an all-out regional war.