Russia condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran as ‘preplanned and unprovoked act of armed aggression’

Russia on Saturday denounced the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, calling them “a preplanned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state.” The Kremlin demanded an immediate halt to the military campaign and urged a return to diplomatic solutions.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns over Iran’s nuclear program while pursuing regime change. The ministry warned that the attacks could trigger a “humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe” in the region, accusing the U.S. and Israel of “plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.”

Russia has become a key trade partner and supplier of weapons and technology to Iran, which has faced heavy international sanctions. While the Foreign Ministry swiftly condemned the strikes, Moscow is expected to weigh its next moves carefully amid a recent warming of ties with Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to mediate an end to the conflict in Ukraine, and both Moscow and Washington have been exploring ways to revive economic cooperation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Araghchi updated Lavrov on Iran’s attempts to repel the attacks and said Iran would seek an urgent U.N. Security Council session. Lavrov reiterated Russia’s condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli strikes and reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to help broker peace.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin discussed the situation in Iran with Russia’s Security Council via videoconference but did not provide further details.

In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the bombing of nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards “unacceptable” and emphasized Moscow’s willingness to help mediate a peaceful resolution. The statement placed full responsibility for the escalation on the United States and Israel, saying:

“Responsibility for the negative consequences of this manmade crisis, including an unpredictable chain reaction and spiraling violence, lies entirely with them.”

The ministry also criticized what it called “the serial nature of destabilizing attacks carried out by the U.S. administration,” accusing Washington of undermining “the international legal pillars of the world order.”

Russia has long tried to balance its Middle East relationships, maintaining friendly ties with Israel while building strong economic and military connections with Iran.

Last week, Iranian forces and Russian sailors conducted annual drills in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean to “upgrade operational coordination as well as exchange military experiences,” according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.

Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a broad cooperation pact in January 2025 as both countries strengthened their partnership in the face of Western sanctions.

The West has alleged that in 2022, Russia and Iran signed a $1.7 billion deal for Shahed drones after Putin deployed troops to Ukraine, and the U.S. claims Iran supplied short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, though neither Moscow nor Tehran has confirmed this.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced support for the strikes on Iran, labeling it “an accomplice of Putin” for supplying Moscow with drones and weapons technology during its war in Ukraine.

Russia and Iran previously worked to support Bashar Assad’s government in Syria, but Assad eventually fled to Russia following a rapid opposition offensive.

Some analysts in Moscow suggest that global focus on the Israel-Iran conflict could divert attention from the war in Ukraine, potentially weakening Western support for Kyiv and benefiting Russia strategically.

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