Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned recent U.S. And Israeli military actions against Iran as an “unprovoked armed attack” on Saturday, offering Moscow’s assistance in mediating a peaceful resolution to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The statement, delivered during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, marks a further escalation in diplomatic friction between Russia and the United States and Israel.
Lavrov’s criticism centers on strikes carried out by the U.S. And Israel against targets within Iran, a move Russia views as destabilizing to the region. He called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, according to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry. This position aligns Russia more closely with Iran, a key ally, and contrasts sharply with the stance of the United States and Israel, who have not publicly acknowledged the specific nature of their operations but have indicated they were in response to perceived threats.
The condemnation comes amid a broader pattern of critical statements from Lavrov regarding Israeli policy. At the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, Lavrov accused Israel of “trying to blow up the Middle East,” and of attempting to undermine UN resolutions concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state. He also raised concerns about the ongoing crisis in Gaza, criticizing what he described as the “collective punishment of Palestinians.”
Lavrov, while condemning the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, argued that it did not justify the scale of the response in Gaza, citing the deaths of Palestinian children and the destruction of hospitals and schools. He further asserted that Israel’s actions against other regional actors, including Iran, Qatar, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, threatened to destabilize the entire region.
The Russian Foreign Minister also expressed concern over perceived attempts by Israel to obstruct the creation of a Palestinian state, noting that Western countries’ delayed recognition of Palestine suggested a hope that “by the time the general assembly session was convened, there would be nothing and no one left to recognize.”
Separately, Lavrov has appeared to draw parallels between Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a comparison that has drawn criticism. While Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly criticized the Israeli operation against Hamas, Lavrov’s statements suggest a more nuanced, and potentially sympathetic, view from within the Russian government.
The diplomatic tensions are heightened by Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and its broader efforts to challenge the U.S.-led international order. Russia’s support for Iran, coupled with its criticism of Israel and the United States, underscores a growing alignment of interests among countries seeking to counter Western influence in the Middle East.
As of Saturday, February 28, 2026, no response has been issued by the U.S. State Department or the Israeli government regarding Lavrov’s latest statements. A high-level international conference on Palestine is scheduled in the coming weeks, which Russia hopes will provide a platform for de-escalation and a renewed focus on a two-state solution.
