Alperen Aktaş
19 June 2025•Update: 19 June 2025
ISTANBUL
Russia on Thursday called on Israel to immediately halt its attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, warning that such actions are illegal under international law and endanger the safety of Russian specialists working at one of Iran’s nuclear power plants.
“We consider the Israeli side’s attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran to be absolutely unacceptable,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
“This is illegal from the point of view of international law, creates unacceptable threats to international security and pushes the world towards a nuclear catastrophe.”
Zakharova specifically expressed concern over the safety of Russian personnel in Iran.
“We are particularly worried about the security of Russian specialists working at the Bushehr power plant,” she said, urging Israel to cease its military campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Moscow also warned the US against any military involvement in the ongoing confrontation.
“We would like to especially warn Washington against military intervention in the situation, which would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences,” she added.
Branding the Israeli strikes “unprovoked aggression,” Zakharova condemned attempts to justify them with what she described as “imaginary non-proliferation concerns,” calling such reasoning “outright cynicism.”
The warnings came amid escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel, which intensified after Israel launched a wide-ranging military operation last Friday, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, military sites, and top scientific personnel.
Iran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, responded with missile and drone strikes.
According to the Iranian Health Ministry, over 220 people have been killed and at least 1,800 injured. Iran’s ambassador to Russia cited nearly 300 civilian deaths. Israel, in turn, reported more than 20 deaths and over 800 injuries.
Despite international calls for restraint, both sides continue to exchange fire, with Israel vowing to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities and Tehran pledging to keep retaliating until the bombardments stop.
As tensions soar, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi and US intelligence maintain there is no verified evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, despite claims by Israel and President Donald Trump.
