Russia Calls for Diplomatic Solution to Middle East War After Trump's Hormuz Ultimatum
Russia's Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged a political and diplomatic settlement to the Middle East war on Monday, following US President Donald Trump's 48-hour ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if the strategic waterway wasn't reopened by late Monday, which had remained effectively closed since the February 28 US-Israeli bombardment that sparked the conflict. Peskov emphasized that only diplomatic resolution could defuse the "catastrophically tense" situation. Russia, which helped build Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, also warned against strikes on nuclear facilities, calling them potentially "extremely dangerous" and "fraught with irreversible consequences." The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for restraint to avoid nuclear accidents. The Strait closure and nuclear facility warnings have caused oil prices to plunge over 10%.