Iran News 12 October 2026 13:05 (UTC +04:00)
Photo: Iranian MFA
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. Iran welcomes goodwill gestures by Russia and other friendly countries aimed at easing tensions between Tehran and Washington, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said.
According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Baghaei made the remarks at a news conference in Tehran on October 12.
“However, as is known, technically speaking, and to be precise, Pakistan and Qatar remain the mediators between Iran and the United States,” he said.
Baghaei noted that consultations between Iran and Russia on various issues, including the nuclear issue, were not new. He said Russia had played a very positive and effective role during the negotiations that led to the 2015 nuclear deal and remained interested in resolving the issue.
According to Baghaei, during a meeting between the Iranian and Russian presidents in Turkmenistan, the Iranian president once again outlined Tehran’s position and its seven-day plan, providing additional details on the matter.
Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated again on July 8. On that day, US forces launched several waves of strikes against Iranian territory, saying the operation was in response to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes marked a renewed escalation following a memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran over on the same day. In response, Tehran began striking US facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The conflict severely disrupted maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for international shipping.