MOSCOW, October 17. /TASS/. Russia is in constant contact with Iran regardless of the tensions in the Middle East, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters.

"We maintain constant contacts with the Iranian side. They do not depend on fluctuations in the political barometer and the degree of tension in the region, which is now extremely high and causes great anxiety," he said when asked whether Moscow was in contact with Tehran amid a potential retaliatory strike by Israel.

The deputy minister emphasized that, given the current situation, there is an increased need for dialogue. "There is an appropriate exchange of assessments and approaches along various lines," he added. "I would like to point out that the goal of our efforts, as in any situation where there is a risk of escalation, is to find solutions that would reduce this risk and eventually steer the relevant processes toward a political settlement."

CNN reported on October 16, citing sources, that the US expects Israel to strike before the US presidential election on November 5. According to the report, Israel’s attack plan is ready, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured Washington that the operation will be limited to military targets, avoiding oil and nuclear facilities. On October 15, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed that Israel would give Iran a "precise and deadly response."

Iran had launched a massive missile attack on Israel on October 1, in retaliation for the assassinations of key figures from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.