Netanyahu to Visit Moscow for Talks on Iran and Syria

Israeli media reported on Friday, April 16, citing the Prime Minister's Office, that Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Moscow in the coming days to meet and discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Ynet, the website of Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Netanyahu's meeting with Putin will take place on Thursday, April 21, at the Kremlin. The Israeli Prime Minister will discuss Syria, Iran, and the Palestinians with Putin. Netanyahu's presence in Moscow will last only a few hours and will be limited to his meeting with the Russian President. Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Russia less than a month after Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's visit to Moscow. Last summer, just two days before the start of Russia's military presence in Syria, the Israeli Prime Minister visited the Kremlin and coordinated with Putin regarding Syria to avoid what Netanyahu called 'unnecessary confrontations.' At that time, Netanyahu did not explicitly announce such 'coordinations,' but last week he revealed that Israel has 'repeatedly attacked Syria and Lebanon to destroy arms shipments for Hezbollah.' Over the years, Israel has opposed Russia's military deal with Iran regarding the S-300 missile defense systems; a deal signed years ago between Iran and Russia but delayed until today due to the onset of sanctions against Iran. After every political and military official's visit to Russia, Iran has emphasized that Moscow has promised to fulfill its commitment 'very soon.' Last week, Iranian media published statements from Hossein Jaberi Ansari, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in which he said that the first part of the S-300 deal is on the path to implementation. Meanwhile, Jaberi Ansari emphasized in a clarifying statement that the systems have not yet been delivered to Iran. Anna Ryszkaya, a reporter for Radio Free Europe in Ukraine, states that according to Russian media reports, Netanyahu's visit to Moscow comes at a time when it seems that Israel and the United States have reduced their controversial objections to the delivery of S-300 systems to Iran. According to these reports, the reason for Israel and the United States' silence this time regarding the implementation of the S-300 deal between Russia and Iran is that they have found the necessary military solutions to counter these systems, and the likelihood of Israeli airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities has also weakened after the final nuclear agreement. Netanyahu is traveling to Moscow while reports indicate that Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been in Moscow since last Thursday night, April 15. The Kremlin announced on Friday, April 16, that there would be no meeting between Soleimani and Putin, but this statement did not deny the presence of this senior commander of the IRGC in Russia. The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday, April 16, that Soleimani's trip to Moscow violates the international travel ban for the commander of the IRGC's overseas branch. At the same time, Iranian media have also reported that Hossein Dehghan, Iran's Minister of Defense, will travel to Russia in the coming days to participate in a conference and meet with Russian officials. In this context, Netanyahu reported on dozens of attacks on Syrian territory to strike Hezbollah. Armenia protested to Israel over the sale of drones to Azerbaijan. Ernest Moniz stated that Netanyahu has accepted the JCPOA. The changing battlefield of 'proxies'; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalization of Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Trump: I hope there is no need for further action regarding Iran; they were killing people recklessly. The shadow of war over Tehran; 'Trump is seeking decisive military options against Iran.' Trump says if the Islamic Republic carries out a terrorist act against him, 'it will be wiped off the face of the earth.' Trump emphasizes 'stopping executions in Iran': we do not know what will happen in the future. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis.