On the face of it, Russia has so much to lose. Iran has been a particularly useful “strategic partner” for the Kremlin, not only sharing a disdain for Western values and influence, but also supplying the Russian military with vast squadrons of Shahed aerial drones, enabling the relentless bombardment of Ukraine.

Russia's Foreign Ministry denounced on Tuesday continued Israeli attacks on Iran as illegal and said a solution to the conflict over Tehran's nuclear programme could only be found through diplomacy. "

The Kremlin responded Monday to remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on possible Iranian regime change, issuing a condemnation of the "actions" that have led to escalated tensions between the two Middle Eastern nations.

Cyprus has acted as a transfer point for third-country evacuees following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, attack. In April 2023, Cyprus also assisted in the repatriation of U.K. nationals from Sudan.

Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran.

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denounced continued Israeli attacks on Iran as illegal and said a solution to the conflict over Tehran's nuclear programme could only be found through diplomacy.

Oil options are now more bullish than after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, showing a global market that’s on edge as Israel and Iran trade blows, and speculation mounts that the US may join the attack.

Israel is reluctant to accept Russia's mediation in its war with Iran, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on June 17, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. "At the moment, we see reluctance — at least on Israel’s part — to resort to mediation or pursue a peaceful resolution,