Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) questioned the idea of Russian President Vladimir Putin playing a role in the negotiations between Israel and Iran, citing how Putin did “nothing” when Syria requested Russia’s aid last year.

Smoke rises from the rubble of an Iranian state media building in Tehran after an Israeli airstrike on June 16, 2025. The strike, which Israel confirmed targeted “terror-linked propaganda infrastructure,” marks a further escalation in regional tensions. (Nikan/Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

After President Putin called President Trump and offered his mediation services in the Iran-Israel conflict, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for de-escalation in tensions, stating that Beijing is