Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 5, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 5, 2026
Russia accused the U.S. and Israel on March 5, 2026, of provoking Iran into retaliatory strikes on Arab Gulf states, warning that these actions risk dragging them into a broader regional war. President Putin offered to use Moscow’s ties with Tehran to help de-escalate tensions.
MOSCOW, March 5 (Reuters) - Russia on Thursday accused the United States and Israel of trying to drag Arab countries into a wider Middle East conflict by provoking Iran into striking targets across the region and said there was no sign Washington and Tel Aviv would let up.
Arab states in the Gulf, all close U.S. allies - some of which also have close ties with Russia - have come under Iranian drone and missile attacks since the United States and Israel launched their air strikes on Iran on Saturday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone to leaders of four Arab Gulf states on Monday, offering to use Moscow's ties to Iran to relay concerns about Tehran's strikes on oil infrastructure across the region.
Russia's Foreign Ministry in a statement on Thursday accused the U.S. and Israel of deliberately trying to draw Arab Gulf states into a wider conflagration.
"They deliberately provoked Iran into retaliatory strikes against targets in some Arab countries, which led to human and material losses, which the Russian side deeply regrets," the ministry said.
"In doing so, they (Washington and Tel Aviv) are trying to drag the Arabs into a war for someone else's interests".
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Andrew OsbornEditing by Guy Faulconbridge)
Russia accused the US and Israel of provoking Iran and trying to pull Arab countries into a wider Middle East conflict.
Arab Gulf states have reportedly come under Iranian drone and missile attacks after US and Israeli air strikes on Iran.
President Putin offered to use Moscow’s ties to Iran to relay Gulf states’ concerns about Iranian strikes on oil infrastructure.
Russia said the US and Israel deliberately provoked Iran to retaliate in Arab countries, causing regional instability and losses.
Ongoing tensions could threaten oil infrastructure and markets in the Gulf region.
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