As negotiations between the U.S. and Iran continue over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear programs, attention is drawn to a two-hour phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. During the call, President Putin conveyed Iran's position.
On October 10, AFP reported, citing Russia's state-run RIA Novosti, that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "President Putin communicated Iran's stance on resolving the conflict to President Trump." However, the Kremlin did not disclose details regarding Trump's response or specific proposals from Iran, according to AFP. Peskov noted that the majority of the conversation focused on the war in Ukraine.
Putin's active involvement in U.S.-Iran negotiations began on October 8 during a summit in Turkmenistan, where he met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. At this meeting, Putin expressed interest in mediating for peace. He emphasized that Iran would make every effort to resolve the current crisis through diplomatic channels, as reported by Iran's ISNA news agency.
President Trump also hinted at a resolution to the conflict with Iran in a post on social media platform Truth Social. According to Fox News, on October 9, Trump stated that the conflict with Iran would be "settled or won soon." He asserted, "I prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons that could devastate the entire Middle East and beyond." Trump further remarked at a White House event on the same day that if Iran had nuclear weapons, they would have quickly used them to obliterate Israel and the Middle East before targeting the United States with missiles.
However, the situation in the Middle East appears to be escalating rather than moving toward peace. On October 10, Reuters reported that on October 9, missile attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels caused explosions and fires at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. More than a dozen ambulances were dispatched to the scene, and travelers were evacuated.
In response, airlines such as Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Kuwait Airways canceled flights. Kuwait Airways cited the "closure of the airport due to security concerns" as the reason for canceling flights to Riyadh, where a major conference on energy and investment is scheduled. The event organizers are reportedly working to reassure attendees while proceeding with the planned schedule.
According to reports, the Houthi rebels have attacked Riyadh airport multiple times this week. An attack on October 8 resulted in the deaths of three Saudi nationals, including one pilot, due to Houthi fire, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Saudi Arabia is currently engaged in a war against the Houthi rebels alongside the Yemeni government forces.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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