Russian Foreign Ministry statement on the situation in the Middle East

Foreign Ministry statement on the situation in the Middle East:

The large-scale international crisis caused by the illegal unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran continues to grow and deepen. The strikes that target not only military facilities but also civilian infrastructure, including the increasing number of strikes on nuclear facilities under the IAEA safeguards, are becoming increasingly violent and destructive. The growing number of reckless attacks on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant has been a matter of special concern. These attacks have resulted in civilian casualties. A shadow of radioactive disaster more destructive than Chernobyl is hanging over the Persian Gulf region and the adjacent part of Eurasia.

That armed confrontation has already claimed thousands of innocent lives, including women and children, and brought suffering to civilians. Schools, hospitals and world cultural heritage sites are being destroyed. Diplomatic and consular offices have come under fire contrary to the fundamental principles of international relations and in flagrant violation of the provisions of the relevant Vienna conventions.

Colossal damage has been done to global energy and food security. Critical logistics routes, which functioned smoothly before the criminal US-Israeli gamble, have been blocked. Markets have been disrupted; many countries have had to start rationing fuel; and experts are making gloomy forecasts about an economic downturn and rampant inflation in vulnerable economies.

The situation resulting from Washington’s and Tel Aviv’s illegal and irresponsible actions is rapidly deteriorating and threatens to spin out of control.

The Foreign Ministry reiterates its call for the immediate termination of hostilities. We welcome the efforts taken by several states, including Pakistan, Türkiye and China, to de-escalate tensions around Iran in order to launch a dialogue on a lasting and sustainable normalisation in the Middle East. We have taken note of the April 2 statement by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in which he urged the United States and Israel to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering and already triggering devastating economic consequences, and called on Iran to stop attacking their neighbours.

We believe that there is still a chance for a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict. The parties to the conflict must abandon the language of threats, unacceptable insults and ultimatums, and avoid actions that could plunge the entire region into irreparable chaos.

It is essential to maintain the remaining chances for negotiations aimed at finding a political and diplomatic solution. We call for taking this into account in the activities of the UN Security Council.

The responsible members of the international community must prevent the Middle East from sliding into the abyss of an all-out war that would have long-term tragic consequences for the entire world. The Russian Federation and its international partners are ready to do everything possible towards this end.

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