Russia says Iran has not requested military aid amid US-Israel strikes

MOSCOW: Russia has confirmed that Iran has not requested military aid since strikes by Israel and the United States began last week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, “In this case, there have been no requests from the Iranian side,” during a daily briefing.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov added on Tuesday that Moscow has still not seen any evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, describing the current conflict in the Middle East as “essentially a war.” He said, “We still see no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, which was the main, if not the only, justification for the war.”

Lavrov also warned that the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran could lead Iran and its Arab neighbors to pursue nuclear weapons. “This war unfolded against Iran may cause not just Tehran, but other countries as well, to develop nuclear weapons. Such sentiments may quickly emerge in Arab countries neighboring Iran,” he said. He emphasized that “the seemingly paradoxical noble goal of starting a war to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons may stimulate the exact opposite.”

The Russian top diplomat also spoke with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, urging Iran to ensure the safety of civilians across the Middle East. This followed President Vladimir Putin’s agreement to convey the security concerns of Gulf states affected by Iranian retaliatory fire.

During the call, Lavrov stressed the need to “ensure the safety of the civilian population and civil infrastructure in all countries of the region” and confirmed Russia’s “fundamental position in favour of de-escalating the situation and rejecting the use of force.”