Russia's Babayev Warns Iran Tensions Will Persist, Positioning Russia as Reliable Energy Supplier to Southeast Asia

Kirill Babayev, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, warned that tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran remain unresolved and are likely to continue indefinitely. Speaking at the Russia-ASEAN Business Forum in Kazan on June 17, Babayev stated that the failure of the U.S. and Israel to achieve regime change in Iran ensures ongoing hostilities between those countries and Tehran.

Babayev emphasized that persistent Middle East tensions will continue to create uncertainty in global energy markets. He expressed confidence that Russia is positioned as a reliable long-term supplier capable of providing both oil and liquefied natural gas to Southeast Asian countries facing challenges due to the regional crisis.

According to Babayev, ASEAN nations increasingly view long-term energy cooperation with Russia—spanning both nuclear and conventional energy sectors—as essential for protecting themselves against future crises. He characterized such future disruptions as inevitable, underscoring the strategic importance of diversifying energy partnerships away from traditional sources affected by Middle East instability.