MOSCOW, March 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russia on Monday called for "political and diplomatic" settlement to the Middle East war after US President Donald Trump's ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"We believe that the situation should have transitioned to a political and diplomatic settlement," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, including from AFP, at a briefing.

"This is the only thing that can effectively contribute to defusing the catastrophically tense situation that has now developed in the region," Peskov said.