Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said March 10, 2026, that Russia should not be involved in the Russia Iran conflict, comments he made after President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 9, 2026.
Hegseth described the call as “a good call” and said Trump’s relationships with foreign leaders can create options in fast-moving situations.
Hegseth said he was not on the call, but that people who participated described it as a strong exchange that touched both Russia-Ukraine and Iran. In his telling, the call included a message that Moscow should stay out of the Russia Iran conflict.
Russia Iran conflict and the Trump Putin call
Trump said March 9, 2026, that he discussed both Ukraine and Iran with Putin during what he called a “very good call,” according to a report from Reuters on Trump’s comments, and he suggested Putin wanted to help on Iran while also pointing back to the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin also described Iran as a major topic, with a senior Russian aide saying Putin shared proposals aimed at a political and diplomatic end to the Iran war.
Hegseth’s public summary of the call emphasized two tracks. First, he said participants saw a potential opening, even if limited, for movement on Russia-Ukraine. Second, he said the message on Iran was clearer, Russia should not be part of the Russia Iran conflict.
That framing matters because Russia has ties to Iran and has positioned itself as a possible mediator, while U.S. officials and news reports have raised concerns about whether Moscow is supporting Tehran in more direct ways. The administration’s public line, as reflected in Hegseth’s remarks, is that any Russian role in the Russia Iran conflict should not include operational involvement.
What Hegseth said on March 10, 2026
At the Pentagon on March 10, 2026, Hegseth said the president’s personal relationships with world leaders can create opportunities and options. He also said people who were on the Trump-Putin call characterized it as strong, and he added that it included recognition that, regarding the Russia Iran conflict, Russia should not be involved.
Hegseth’s comments came as the U.S. military operation against Iran continued, and as officials described intensified strikes for March 10. A separate Reuters report about Hegseth’s Pentagon briefing said he called March 10 the most intense day of strikes so far, with the largest number of aircraft used in the campaign.
Hegseth did not publicly lay out specific consequences for Russia if it ignored the warning, and he did not detail what the administration considers “involvement” in the Russia Iran conflict. His statement, instead, pointed to an overall goal, limiting the number of outside actors who could widen the war or complicate U.S. military planning.
