Both Russia and China quickly weighed in against the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, demanding that international law be respected and that peaceful negotiations be resumed. The Russian Foreign Ministry statement was particularly forceful:
“On the morning of February 28, US and Israeli armed forces carried out airstrikes on the territory of Iran. The scope and character of the military, political, and propaganda preparations that preceded this reckless step, including the deployment of substantial US military forces to the region, leave no doubt that this is a deliberate, premeditated, and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state, in direct violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international law.
“It is particularly reprehensible that these strikes are once again being conducted under the cover of the renewed negotiation process… This comes despite assurances conveyed to the Russian side indicating that Israel had no interest in entering into military confrontation with Iran.”
The statement further warned that “Washington and Tel Aviv have once again embarked on a perilous course that is swiftly pushing the region toward a humanitarian, economic, and potentially even radiological disaster. The aggressors’ intentions are evident and have been stated openly: to dismantle the constitutional order and remove the leadership of a state they deem undesirable because it has refused to yield to the dictates of force and hegemonic pressure. Responsibility for the impact of this man-made crisis, including the unpredictable chain reaction and the spiral of escalating violence, rests entirely with them.”
