On Dec. 30, 2025 Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned as extraordinarily dangerous the threat by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a “second” round of strikes against Iran, made during Netanyahu’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 29, 2025. In a press conference after the meeting, President Trump simultaneously raised the possibility of striking Iran again (see accompanying slug, “Netanyahu Reportedly Discussed With Trump Striking Iran Again").
The Netanyahu-Trump threat to attack Iran could not only make the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman a “hot spot” once more, but could trigger a nuclear war.
Zakharova said: “The aggressive statements about the possibility of further military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including its nuclear energy infrastructure, that were made on Dec. 29 during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, are a matter of justified and serious concern,” reports the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
She continued, “While the anti-Iran ideological push behind such rhetoric is not new, the international community has repeatedly and unequivocally rejected these ambitions. They are contrary to international law, violate the UN Charter, and recklessly push the Middle East toward a grave catastrophe with potential radiological and humanitarian consequences.”
Zakharova stressed, “This irresponsible approach undermines the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, whose cornerstone is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). It is noteworthy that these threats are being made by a state [Israel] outside the NPT, against a country [Iran] that is a full party to the Treaty and consistently reaffirms its commitment to the Treaty’s obligations.
“We call on these irresponsible ‘hotheads’ to recognize the full peril of their destructive path, to cease escalating tensions around Iran and its nuclear program, and to avoid repeating their fatal errors of June 2025.… Experience demonstrates that confrontation only sows tragedy and creates real, not imaginary, threats to international peace and security, driving the parties further from a viable resolution they seek.”
Zakharova concluded: “We remain convinced that the only viable course is diplomacy and negotiation,” and called for “sustainable solutions to Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy issue, grounded in international law and with due consideration for Tehran’s legitimate interests.”
