As it continues to wage its full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Feb. 28 condemned the U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran, claiming that it can help find "peaceful solutions."
"We demand that the situation be immediately returned to the path of political and diplomatic settlement," the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement published on its Telegram channel, accusing the U.S. and Israel of driving the region toward "a humanitarian, economic, and possibly even a radiological disaster."
Early reports indicate that Iran has already launched retaliatory attacks targeting areas hosting U.S. military bases across the Middle East, underscoring the risk of a wider military conflict.
Russia claimed that the international community, including the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), should provide "an objective and uncompromising assessment of these irresponsible actions" aimed at "destroying peace."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and floated Moscow as a potential mediator — positioning Russia, even as it continues its own war on a neighboring country, as a broker of peace.
Moscow's comments against the U.S. and Israel come as Russian troops launch indiscriminate attacks in both front-line areas and cities far from the battlefield, such as Kyiv, with barrages of missiles and drones. More than four years into the full-scale war, Russian troops continue to advance across the front, throwing a massive number of troops forward to gradually push Ukrainian forces back.
Calling the attack "a premeditated and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. Member state," Russia condemned the fact that the attacks took place during ongoing peace negotiations between all parties.
Russia, despite engaging in peace talks with Ukraine and the U.S., has continued to repeatedly attack Ukrainian cities.
Russia and Iran have deepened cooperation in recent years, with Tehran supplying drones and other military equipment used by Russian forces in the war against Ukraine.
The two countries held joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean on Feb. 19, amid reports that U.S. Armed Forces had deployed warships near Iran and were preparing for possible strikes.
Iran has signed a secret 500 million euro ($589 million) deal with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Feb. 22, citing leaked Russian documents and sources familiar with the agreement.
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