Is Moscow Playing a Role Between Israel and Iran?

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Foreign Minister, has traveled to Russia and is set to head to China as well. Both countries are members of the 5+1 group in nuclear negotiations with Iran. According to reports, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, told his Israeli counterpart that he still believes in finding a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue, but this solution should not jeopardize the security of regional countries. Meanwhile, following the killing of a senior IRGC commander and several others in attacks in the Golan Heights, reports have emerged that Israel, through Moscow, has invited Tehran to maintain calm. These reports have not been confirmed or denied by any official. Radio Farda conducted an interview with Nikolai Kuzhanov, an analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center. Mr. Kuzhanov served as a Russian diplomat at the embassy in Tehran from 2006 to 2009. In the interview, Kuzhanov emphasized that Russia is not interested in Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, as it believes this would make Iran more aggressive and less constructive, while also motivating other unstable countries in the Middle East to seek nuclear arms. He noted that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a source of instability at Russia's borders, which is why Russia is eager to resolve this issue quickly. He added that the current structure of the Iran-5+1 negotiations is based on a plan by Sergei Lavrov, which opened a step-by-step dialogue between the parties. However, he cautioned against overestimating Russia's role in these talks, as the primary resolution must come from the main actors, Iran and the U.S. Kuzhanov also discussed Israel's position in the nuclear talks and how Russia can help balance the situation. He stated that resolving the nuclear issue would benefit Israel as well, as many of Iran's problems with Israel stem from Israel being America's closest ally in the region. He warned that Israeli politicians are using the Iranian nuclear threat for their own domestic interests, which is a dangerous game. Kuzhanov concluded that Russia values both Iran and Israel and has long sought to improve relations with Israel, which has been a barrier to Moscow's position on Iran. He suggested that Moscow is playing a mediating role in the nuclear issue and that indirect signs, such as reports of Israel sending messages to Iran through Moscow, indicate this. When asked about the possibility of such messages given the current tensions between Tel Aviv and Tehran, Kuzhanov noted that during his time in Tehran, such communication was impossible, but with the election of Hassan Rouhani, there is a higher likelihood of indirect channels existing now. He speculated that Russia is keen to act as an informal channel in this regard, especially given its current situation with Ukraine, as it seeks to engage more in non-European and non-Western issues.