Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that any new American attack on Iran could lead to severe consequences. He urged for a patient search for solutions to allow Tehran to pursue its peaceful nuclear program.
He made these remarks in an interview published on Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya television on Wednesday (February 18) local time.
According to a Reuters report, Lavrov’s comments came a day after indirect discussions between representatives of the two countries in Geneva, Switzerland, aimed at avoiding a new escalating crisis between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.
In the interview, Lavrov stated, “The consequences will not be good. Iranian nuclear facilities, which are under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency, have already been attacked. From that incident, we can infer that there was a real risk of a nuclear accident in this event.”
In the interview published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, he said, “I was carefully observing the reactions of the Arab countries in the region, the Gulf countries. None of them want to see an escalation of tension. Everyone understands this is playing with fire.”
He further stated that if tensions escalate, the positive steps taken in recent years could become ineffective, including the improvement of relations between Iran and neighboring countries like Saudi Arabia.
A senior US official told Reuters on Wednesday that Iran is expected to provide a written proposal on how to resolve the deadlock with the United States following the discussions in Geneva.
The official also stated that US national security advisors met at the White House on Wednesday. It was announced there that all US military forces designated for deployment in the Middle East would reach their specific locations by mid-March.
