The attacks carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran – as the Russian side had previously warned – have resulted in a sharp deterioration and radical destabilisation of the situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. This constitutes an exceptionally dangerous erosion of global and regional security, entailing long-term and profoundly detrimental repercussions, including for trade and economic relations, air and maritime connectivity, and, not least, the non-proliferation regime.

The unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran – their brazen attempts to effect regime change, infringe upon the country’s sovereignty, interfere in its internal affairs, and impose a political trajectory upon the Iranian people – represents a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the fundamental norms and principles of international law. Such an unacceptable course of action must be brought to an immediate end.

Once again, we reiterate our call to halt the escalation of armed confrontation and to refrain from provocative actions and incendiary rhetoric. Now more than ever, it is imperative to return to political and diplomatic avenues and to reaffirm the primacy of international legality.

It is precisely in pursuit of these objectives that Russia will continue to pursue an active policy within the frameworks of the United Nations and the IAEA, as well as through bilateral engagements with a broad range of stakeholders.