The Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said Sunday that President Donald Trump “has pushed the US into another war” and that countries are “ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads.”
His threat to arm Iran with a nuclear weapon comes hours before Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday announced he will travel to Moscow in the coming hours for urgent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,” he told reporters in Istanbul, according to media reports. Russia is a close ally of Iran. Tehran supplied Moscow with military drones to strike Ukraine and, in return, has received help with its civilian nuclear program. The Kremlin has also maintained warm relations with Israel, Politico reported.
The former Russian president’s list
In a post on his Telegram account, the former Russian President outlined the ten things he says the “Americans have accomplished with their nighttime strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran.
- Critical infrastructure of the nuclear fuel cycle appears to have been unaffected or sustained only minor damage.
- The enrichment of nuclear material — and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons — will continue.
- A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads.
- Israel is under attack, explosions are rocking the country, and people are panicking.
- The US is now entangled in a new conflict, with prospects of a ground operation looming on the horizon.
- Iran’s political regime has survived — and in all likelihood, has come out even stronger.
- The people are rallying around the country’s spiritual leadership, including those who were previously indifferent or opposed to it.
- Donald Trump, once hailed as ‘president of peace,’ has now pushed the US into another war.
- The vast majority of countries around the world oppose the actions of Israel and the United States.
- At this rate, Trump can forget about the Nobel Peace Prize — not even with how rigged it has become. What a way to kick things off, Mr. President. Congratulations!
No to a regime change in Iran
Russia has on several occasions expressed its resounding rejection of a regime change in Iran, a country the Kremlin said will not negotiate under pressure.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently called such discussions “unacceptable” and warned that the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would “open Pandora’s box,” leading to extremism in Iran.
Deborah Haynes, Sky News’s security and defence editor, wrote on Sunday as well, saying, “Iran has little choice but to retaliate directly against the United States after three of its main nuclear facilities were struck overnight.”
She suggested that although Iranian missiles have the capacity to strike US military bases in the Middle East, it might choose to attack “softer targets, such as American embassies or other diplomatic missions”.
“Iran could also choose to mine the Strait of Hormuz – a move that would have global ramifications by disrupting the flow of large amounts of oil and gas, as well as other trade,” Haynes added. Tehran has already threatened to block the strait, but experts say it would have suicidal effects on Iran as its economy relies heavily on it for revenue.
US’ insertion into Israel’s war
The AP wrote on Sunday that “the United States inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran by dropping 30,000-pound bombs on a uranium enrichment site, raising urgent questions about what remains of Tehran’s nuclear program and how its weakened military might respond.” The US-based news agency did not shy away, like all others, from calling the Israel-Iran conflict a war.
While Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth assures his country “does not seek war” and calls for diplomatic talks with Iran, as does Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Iranian officials say the time for negotiations has passed and that now it’s time to defend itself.
And while Iran’s foreign minister says he will meet on Monday to coordinate a response with its Russian ally in Moscow, Iran, which says it will not surrender, and Israel continue launching missiles against each other.
