Putin will relay UAE president's complaints about Iranian strikes to Tehran, Kremlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin told UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a phone call on Monday that he was ready to relay his complaints about Iranian strikes against UAE territory to Tehran, the Kremlin said.

It cited the UAE leader as saying that his country was not being used as a base to attack Iran and that Iranian strikes on the UAE could not therefore be justified.

"Vladimir Putin, for his part, expressed his readiness to convey these signals to Tehran and, in general, to provide all possible assistance in stabilising the overall situation in the region," the Kremlin said in a statement after the phone call.

It said both leaders had agreed that an immediate ceasefire and a return to diplomacy was needed. It also cited Putin lamenting that work to find a solution to concerns about Iran's nuclear programme had been derailed by "an unprovoked act of armed aggression" by the United States and Israel.

Dubai is a popular destination for Russian tourists and the Kremlin said Putin has thanked the UAE president for his efforts to help Russian nationals in the current situation.