Russia’s official stance on the worsening situation in Southwest Asia has been consistent, as confirmed by recent statements made over the past couple of days. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed questions on the situation March 16 during a press conference with Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, Musalia Mudavadi. “There is no sign of improvement in sight,” Lavrov began, and strongly emphasized that “everything must be done to ensure that all parties to this crisis cease actions that damage civilian infrastructure and cause civilian casualties.” He said that the U.S. and Israel “assumed they would achieve their objective of making that country completely subservient to them within 24 or even fewer hours. They now know how mistaken they were. Of course, Iran is defending itself. It is responding to aggression by striking military infrastructure in the region that belongs to the countries that attacked it. Unfortunately, the GCC countries are also affected as a result.”
Lavrov said Russia maintains its offer to assist in negotiations to bring about an end to the war, “However, when our US colleagues say their main objective is to take possession of all enriched uranium… then this is no longer about readiness for talks or willingness to make use of Russia’s good offices, as was the case in 2015 when the agreement on Iran’s nuclear program was concluded and approved by the UN Security Council. It turns out the United States is simply after appropriating this energy resource, just as it is seeking to take control of hydrocarbon resources in Latin America, the Caribbean, the Persian Gulf, and elsewhere around the world.”
The Foreign Minister also made a pointed comment on Palestine with regard to the current situation, noting that, with the advent of the war in the Persian Gulf, the issue of Palestine “has been conveniently forgotten.” “We believe it would be a major blow to the credibility of the international community, primarily the United Nations. Everyone, above all the countries of the region, the Arab states, must recognize their responsibility,” he said.
