Russia’s diplomatic balancing act between Israel and Iran has been tested by recent tensions. As Israel’s strikes on Iranian targets escalate hostilities, Russia could emerge as a key mediator in the conflict,

Despite evidence that the conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Sunday that peace would come soon and cited the possibility that Russia's Vladimir Putin could help.

As an unprecedented Israeli attack on Iran last week sparks a spiraling conflict between the two enemy states, China has seen an opportunity to cast itself as potential peace broker – and an alternative voice to the United States.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also spoke with Netanyahu. “Israel has the right to defend its existence and the security of its citizens,” he said Sunday in a social media post. “Iran’s nuclear weapons program is an existential threat to the State of Israel.”

The G7 nations' stance contrasted with that of China which has condemned Israel's attack on Iran while seeking to play up its role as a peacemaker in the Middle East region. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told both Israeli and Iranian leaders that China was ready to play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation.

Russia is pushing itself as a candidate to hold Iran's enriched uranium in hypothetical peace arrangements with Israel.

Donald Trump is upending the Group of Seven nations with comments on Russia and a reported refusal to call for de-escalation in the Middle East.

Iran's strikes on Israel are self-defense and are "proportionate defensive operations directed exclusively at military objectives and associated infrastructure," Iran's U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the U.