🎙 Statement by Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Vassily Nebenzia at UNSC Briefing in connection with US and Israeli Strikes against Iran (New York, February 28, 2026)

💬 Vassily Nebenzia: In recent hours, we have witnessed another extremely dangerous surge in escalation in the Middle East.

In the early hours of February 28, the United States and Israel began launching massive military strikes on the territory of Iran. It was publicly declared that one of the targets of the attack was the country's senior political leadership, as well as civilian nuclear facilities.

In real time we are getting reports from the Iranian authorities about casualties, including among civilians: more than 200 people have died in 24 provinces of the country.

We express our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Our country is taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of Russian citizens who are currently in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI).

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US President Donald Trump has announced today that this operation is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But such claims are ungrounded. <...>

Iran has repeatedly stressed its readiness to place the preservation of its status as a non-nuclear-weapon state at the heart of new agreements with the US, provided that Iran's legitimate right as a state party to the NPT to develop peaceful nuclear technologies is respected and upheld.

Against this backdrop, we deem completely unfounded all the attempts by Western countries to justify this US-Israeli aggression by citing alleged threats to international peace and security supposedly emanating from Iran's nuclear program.

👉 The only credible sources of information on this matter are the relevant reports of the IAEA Director General. And these reports have never indicated that Iran could be developing nuclear weapons. <...>

We expect that the IAEA Director General, Rafael Grossi, will give unambiguous assessments and will condemn this yet another act by the USA and Israel to undermine the authority of the NPT and the global non-proliferation regime as a whole.

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❗️ We demand that the United States and Israel immediately cease their aggressive actions.

There are no and will never be any alternatives to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution of the Iranian issue, including its nuclear component.

We insist on the immediate resumption of political and diplomatic settlement efforts in pursuit for solutions based on international law, mutual respect, and balance of interests.

Russia stands ready to provide all necessary support for such efforts.

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⚡️ Russia's Foreign Ministry statement on the situation around Iran

Moscow has received the news of the killing of the Supreme and Spiritual Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, members of his family, and senior Iranian officials in US and Israeli missile strikes with outrage and deep sorrow.

The Russian Federation strongly and consistently condemns the practice of political assassination and manhunt for leaders of sovereign states that goes against the fundamental principles of civilised interstate relations and constitutes a grave violation of international law.

In the course of continuing military operations, the number of casualties among civilians is constantly rising, with serious damage being inflicted on civilian infrastructure as well.

Retaliation strikes at the US military bases in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, along with the activation of anti-aircraft defence systems, have caused damage to the international airports in Dubai, Kuwait City, sea ports, high-rises and hotels in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

It has been reported that navigation has been stopped in the Strait of Hormuz. This can lead to the blocking of hydrocarbon exports to the region and create a significant imbalance in the global oil and gas markets.

❗️ We call for immediate de-escalation, cessation of hostilities, resumption of political and diplomatic processes, to settle any existing problems on the basis of the UN Charter and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The legitimate interests of all the states in the Persian Gulf must be taken into account.

⚡️ Russian MFA statement on the situation around Iran

We are concerned regarding the expansion of the armed confrontation across the entire Middle East region as a result of the aggression by the US and Israel against Iran.

It has become evident that, beyond seeking regime change in the Islamic Republic of Iran through the most unscrupulous means – including the killing of the leadership of a sovereign state – Washington and Tel Aviv are attempting to provoke a breakdown in the process of normalizing relations between Iran and its Arab neighbours.

For our part, we call for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all sides and for the adoption – as an unconditional priority – of comprehensive measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in all countries of the region.

🔉 Audio statement by Maria Zakharova (in Russian)

The strike on a girls’ school in the Iranian city of Minab, which reportedly killed dozens of innocent children, warrants unequivocal condemnation.

❗️ Any attacks on civilian facilities – whether in Iran or in Arab states – are unacceptable and must cease immediately.

We once again urge the parties to renounce the use of force in addressing their differences and to return to a political and diplomatic path towards resolving all outstanding issues, with full respect for the legitimate security interests of every state in the region.