Kremlin says possible U.S. strike on Iran would destabilize Middle East

Peskov made the remarks on on Jan. 26, Russian news agency Interfax reported. He claimed such a move would represent “another step toward serious destabilization in the region.”

He also said Moscow expects all parties to show restraint and focus exclusively on peaceful negotiations.

The comments came amid rising tensions over Iran, following a series of statements by U.S. President Donald Trumpsuggesting Washington could intervene in response to Tehran’s crackdown on mass protests.

Trump urged Iranians to continue protests and seize government institutions, saying U.S. assistance was “already on the way,” on Jan. 13.

Media reports have suggested the United States could intervene in Iran in the near future. According to Agence France-Presse, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have led diplomatic efforts to dissuade Trump from launching an attack, citing fears of “serious consequences for the region.”

Trump said Iran had canceled more than 800 planned executions of detained protesters, on Jan. 16. On the same day, human rights groups reported that protests in Iran were subsiding following a violent crackdown. However, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, disputed those claims and publicly urged Trump to intervene.

Trump later said the United States had sent a large number of naval vessels toward Iran in response to the suppression of protests and claimed he had stopped Tehran from executing nearly 840 detainees, on Jan. 22.

“We have a lot of ships headed in that direction, just in case,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen, but we’re watching them very closely.”

Unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. The officials said Washington is also considering deploying additional air defense systems to protect U.S. bases in the region.