Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) revealed that he received a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin on his 79th birthday and and talked about the war between Israel and Iran, which both leaders agreed "should end.

By Andrew Osborn and Alexander Marrow (Reuters) -Russian leader Vladimir Putin told Iran's president over the phone on Friday that Moscow condemned Israeli actions against Tehran, and in a separate telephone conversation told Israel's prime minister that only diplomacy could resolve issues around Iran's nuclear programme.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday after Israel hit Iran in a series of strikes.

Trump, who turned 79, said: "President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran."

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in separate telephone conversations on Friday, told Iran's president that Moscow condemned Israel's actions against Tehran and told Israel's prime minister that questions around Iran's nuclear programme could only be solved through diplomacy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says rising global oil prices following Israeli strikes on Iran will strengthen Russia by increasing its oil revenues, aiding its war effort in Ukraine.

Israel strikes Iranian nuclear and military sites, and Tehran retaliates with a missile attack. Meanwhile, 1,200 fallen Ukrainians returned home. Read more about what happened on Friday, June 13. Israel-Iran conflict escalation - Consequences During the night of June 13,