The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a particularly tough statement, today, condemning Israel’s attacks on Iran. “We express our profound concern regarding the dangerous escalation of tensions in the Middle East,” it said at the outset. “We strongly condemn the military actions undertaken by the State of Israel on the night of June 13, which constitute a clear violation of the UN Charter as well as established principles of international law.
“Unprovoked military strikes against a sovereign member state of the United Nations, against its citizens, peaceful cities, and critical nuclear energy infrastructure facilities, are totally unacceptable. The international community must not ignore such acts, which not only jeopardise peace but also undermine security both in the region and globally,” it continued. “The timing of these attacks appears to be particularly cynical as they have occurred amidst a session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and just ahead of the next round of indirect talks between representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States. These actions have drastically undermined the progress of painstaking multilateral diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and seeking solutions to eliminate suspicions and the bias surrounding Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme.
“It is evident that West Jerusalem has made a deliberate decision to further escalate the situation and raise stakes. We have warned on numerous occasions about the destabilising effects of military ventures that threaten peace and security in the region. The full responsibility for the consequences of these provocative acts lies with the Israeli leadership.”
