Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held separate phone conversations with the leaders of Israel and Iran as Moscow stepped up diplomatic efforts to ease rising tensions in the Middle East, the Kremlin has said.

The outreach comes amid widespread protests in Iran and fears of a possible military confrontation in the region. Independent monitors have reported that Iranian security forces killed thousands during a crackdown on nationwide anti-government demonstrations, prompting sharp criticism and threats of military action from the United States, Israel’s key ally.

Iran has repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of instigating the unrest and seeking to undermine the country’s unity. Tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv remain high following a brief war in June, during which Israel carried out unprecedented strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, with the United States joining the offensive by targeting three major Iranian nuclear sites.

According to the Kremlin, Putin spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a bid to calm the situation.

“The situation in the region is highly tense, and the president continues his efforts to facilitate de-escalation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

During his conversation with Pezeshkian, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to strengthening its “strategic partnership” with Iran. In response, the Iranian president thanked Russia for its support at the United Nations, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency.

Russia is a close ally of Iran and has expressed concern that any conflict could threaten Tehran’s pro-Moscow leadership and weaken Russia’s influence in the region. The calls marked Putin’s first public engagement on the Iranian protests and his first outreach to Tehran since the unrest began.

Despite its alliance with Iran, Moscow has also sought to maintain cordial relations with Israel, though ties have been strained by Russia’s criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

In his call with Netanyahu, the Kremlin said Russia reiterated its “readiness to continue its mediation efforts,” though it did not provide details of any specific initiatives currently underway. Moscow had previously offered to mediate during the June hostilities between Israel and Iran.

Netanyahu had earlier said he hoped Iranians would soon be freed from what he described as the “yoke of tyranny” as protests spread across the country. However, demonstrations have reportedly waned in recent days amid heavy repression and a week-long internet shutdown.

Meanwhile, a senior Saudi official told AFP that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman had recently led diplomatic efforts to dissuade US President Donald Trump from launching an attack on Iran during the crackdown, warning of potentially severe consequences for regional stability.