MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have held a telephone conversation, discussing the situation in the Middle East, including the Syria issue, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone conversation exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, focusing on the Syria issue," the statement reads.

The two leaders held a meeting in Moscow on July 11, which the Israeli prime minister described as "very important." Netanyahu told Putin that Israel strongly opposed Iran’s presence in Syria. At the same time, he said that Israeli-Russian talks provided an opportunity to enhance security and the level of trust in the Middle East.

On July 17, US President Donald Trump said at a meeting with lawmakers that the US, Russia and Israel had launched trilateral talks regarding the Syria issue and Israel’s security.