Kremlin: Obama and Putin Call for De-escalation of Tensions Between Tehran and Riyadh

The Kremlin in Russia states that the President of Russia and his American counterpart have called for a reduction of tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia during a phone conversation. The statement issued on this matter indicates that the leaders of the two countries also discussed Ukraine, finding a solution for the Syrian crisis, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. The Russian news agency Sputnik reported on January 13 that the phone call was initiated by Washington and took place on Tuesday. The recent crisis in Iran-Saudi relations, which was emphasized for reduction during the phone conversation between the two presidents, arose following the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia and the attack on its diplomatic missions in Iran. Several countries have expressed readiness to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh, and a group of world leaders has called for a de-escalation of tensions. Meanwhile, it has been arranged for John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, to travel to London to meet with the Saudi Foreign Minister. One of the objectives of this trip is reported to be discussions regarding this diplomatic crisis. According to the news network 'Russia Today', Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, reiterated the necessity of forming a 'comprehensive coalition' to combat the 'Islamic State' and other terrorist groups active in Syria during his phone conversation. Moscow has been trying for months to form an international coalition with the participation of Bashar al-Assad to combat ISIS. However, the opponents of the Syrian president have opposed the formation of such a coalition. Ultimately, the Russian military has conducted airstrikes in support of Assad, which continue to this day. Russia claims these attacks are against 'ISIS and other terrorist groups.' However, the U.S. and NATO had reported targeting Western-backed rebels at the start of operations and afterward.