Russia and China have sharply condemned President Donald Trump’s June 22 military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, warning the escalation could trigger grave global consequences if tensions continue.
At an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting Sunday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the US of opening a “Pandora’s box” that could lead to a global “nuclear catastrophe.”
He added that Russia “vehemently condemns the irresponsible, dangerous, and provocative actions taken by the USA against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is a sovereign country and a UN member state.”
The US airstrikes, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites with precision bombers and cruise missiles June 22.
Just hours before Iran launched retaliatory strikes on a US base in Qatar June 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the US attack had “no basis and no justification.”
“We have long-standing, good, reliable relations with Iran,” he added, vowing Moscow would assist the Iranian people but offering no specifics.
Adding to Moscow’s rebuke, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, dismissed Trump’s claim that Medvedev was “casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!)” on social media.
“I condemn the US strike on Iran — it failed to achieve its objectives,” Medvedev wrote on X.
“However,” he added, “Russia has no intention of supplying nuclear weapons to Iran because, unlike Israel, we are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”
China also weighed in Sunday, as Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the US of violating international law and warned of destabilizing consequences across the Middle East.
“China is willing to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and contribute to the work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said.
Amid global backlash, Trump is scheduled to meet NATO leaders later this week.
