Overview
- Israeli broadcaster Kan reported that Benjamin Netanyahu asked Vladimir Putin to convey to Iran that Israel does not intend to attack.
- Kan said the request followed recent phone calls between the leaders and stemmed from concern that Tehran might strike first to forestall an Israeli move.
- In a Knesset address on January 5, Netanyahu vowed to prevent Iran from restoring its nuclear program or resuming ballistic missile production, aligning this stance with President Donald Trump.
- Netanyahu said Iran has been warned that any attack on Israel would bring severe consequences.
- Russia has publicly defended Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology and criticized U.S. strikes in 2025, as tensions persist following a June 2025 exchange of Israeli, Iranian and U.S. attacks that ended in a ceasefire.