MOSCOW — Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday warned the United States against launching military action against Iran, as tensions escalate in the Middle East and speculation grows over potential US involvement in the conflict alongside Israel.
“We would like to particularly warn Washington against military intervention in this situation,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, according to media reports.
Zakharova noted that any such move by the US “would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences.”
Her warning came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which both leaders condemned Israel’s actions and called for a ceasefire.
“They strongly condemn Israel’s actions,” the Kremlin said in a readout of the call, The Moscow Times reported.
Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Moscow and Beijing believe the conflict must be resolved “exclusively by political and diplomatic means.”
Israel launched airstrikes on Iran’s military and nuclear program last Friday, and Tehran has responded with its own salvos of rockets and drones. Scores of civilians have been killed in both countries since the air war began, and despite global calls for de-escalation, the situation remains tense.
US President Donald Trump has further fuelled tensions by suggesting earlier this week that American forces in the Middle East might try to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and vaguely calling on Tehran to agree to an “unconditional surrender.”
A separate warning also came from the head of Russia’s nuclear energy agency, who cautioned that an Israeli strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant could trigger a disaster on the scale of the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown. Although an Israeli military spokesperson initially claimed the site had been struck, an Israeli official later retracted the statement, calling it a mistake and refusing to confirm or deny the targeting of Bushehr — Iran’s only operational nuclear plant, built with Russian support.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lso offered to mediate between Iran and Israel, reaching out personally to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian but Donald Trump dismissed the proposal.
Russia shares close relations with Iran, having boosted military ties following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, it also strives to retain amicable relations with Israel.
Despite Moscow’s ties with Tehran, Putin said Iran had not asked Russia for military assistance since Israel’s attacks began. — With inputs from agencies
