Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, have agreed to maintain close contact as military operations by the United States and Israel continue.
During a phone conversation on Friday, Putin reiterated Russia’s position supporting an immediate ceasefire and opposing the use of force to resolve issues involving Iran or the broader Middle East.
He also urged all sides involved in the conflict to return to diplomatic negotiations, noting that he maintains regular communication with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
Pezeshkian, in response, praised Russia for showing solidarity with the Iranian people over the past week and briefed Putin on recent developments in the conflict, according to a statement released by the Kremlin.
The conversation came amid media reports claiming that Russia was sharing intelligence that could assist Iran in locating U.S. warships, aircraft, and other military assets in the region.
Responding to the reports, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that any assistance from Moscow had no impact on the situation, saying American forces were “completely decimating” Iran’s capabilities.
In a separate interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is fully aware of the communications taking place among the parties and is addressing the matter firmly.
“We track everything; we have the best intelligence,” Hegseth said. When asked whether information leaks could threaten U.S. troops, he replied: “No one is putting us in danger—we’re putting the other guys in danger.”
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, counterterrorism police arrested four men suspected of assisting a foreign intelligence service linked to Iran in an unlawful surveillance case.
Authorities detained the suspects at separate addresses across London on Friday as part of an investigation into alleged violations of the National Security Act 2023.
The probe focuses on suspected monitoring of locations and individuals connected to the Jewish community. The arrests come after warnings from Israel about the spread of extremist ideology in Europe through groups linked to terrorism.
Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said the arrests were part of a long-running investigation aimed at disrupting hostile activities.
She also urged the public—particularly members of the Jewish community—to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to authorities.
Police confirmed that the suspects include one Iranian national and three British-Iranian citizens. Two of the men, aged 40 and 55, were arrested in Barnet, while the other two, aged 22 and 52, were detained in Harrow and Watford.
