A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran. AFP
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow remains ready to support peaceful efforts based on international law, mutual respect, and balanced interests.
The statement detailed the strikes carried out on the morning of 28 February, describing the military, political, and logistical preparations, including the deployment of large US forces to the region, as evidence of a deliberate attack on a sovereign United Nations (UN) member state.
Russia accused Washington and Tel Aviv of pursuing the strikes under the pretext of nuclear negotiations, while ignoring repeated communications indicating Israel’s reluctance for a confrontation with Iran. The ministry warned that the escalation could trigger humanitarian, economic, and potentially radiological crises across the Middle East.
The statement also raised concerns about the impact on the global non-proliferation regime, arguing that attacks on facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards undermine the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). It said the strikes risk incentivizing other states to acquire new military capabilities amid growing instability.
Russia called on the international community, including the UN and the IAEA, to provide an objective assessment of the strikes and to act to prevent further escalation. The ministry criticized the broader pattern of US actions undermining international legal norms, including non-interference, rejection of force, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
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