Putin's Play for Power: Russia's Iran Diplomacy Aims

President Putin is positioning himself as a potential mediator in the growing conflict between Iran and the West, but that's not an easy sell, writes the BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg.

The tensions between Iran and the US and its allies have escalated sharply in recent weeks, with Washington and Tehran trading threats and insults. Russia, which has close ties with Iran, has so far stayed out of the fray. However, President Putin seems to see an opportunity here to boost Russia's influence on the world stage.

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