China and Russia positioning themselves as voices of reason, calling for de-escalation of a conflict the United States is contemplating on entering — these are the optics Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin sought to project during a phone call on Thursday.

US President Donald Trump has been accused of fueling the tension in the Middle East amid the escalated hostilities between Israel and IranLast week, Israel attacked Iran in an unexpected manner after decades of rivalry and prolonged shadowed war between the two countriesBut Trump in a social media post,

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call on Thursday during which both leaders condemned Israel for its strikes on Iran and agreed de-escalation was needed,