As the Iran-Israel conflict approaches its one-week mark today, there are no signs of de-escalation. Instead, the United States is poised to directly intervene in the ongoing conflict, siding with Israel.
Iran, for its part, shows no intention of backing down, causing the Middle East situation to spiral increasingly out of control. In response, Russia has issued a stark warning to the world regarding this escalating conflict.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the world is on the "brink of disaster." She urged immediate diplomatic efforts to prevent this catastrophe while speaking at a forum on Wednesday (June 18).
Israel has continued its attacks on Iran for the past six days, employing drones, fighter jets, and powerful missiles. Iran, while attempting to shoot down these drones and aircraft, has also launched retaliatory strikes against Israel.
Amidst this, the United States has been threatening Iran, siding with Israel. Most recently, US President Donald Trump gave final approval for plans to attack Iran.
It was against this backdrop that Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Wednesday.
Addressing the Iran-Israel conflict, she stated that Israel is attacking Iran's nuclear infrastructure and peaceful civilian facilities. "I am not talking about military facilities, especially facilities related to the peaceful development of nuclear energy," she clarified.
Commenting that the situation is "dangerously spiraling out of control," she described it as "a terrible, monstrous game, which many believe could lead to unexpected consequences. This is the terrible reality; it is completely predictable. The world is just a few millimeters away from disaster."
The Russian official then emphasized that diplomacy is still possible, and there is always a chance for a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the United States against providing direct military assistance to Israel for aggression against Iran.
In a message on Wednesday (June 18), he stated that direct US military aid to Israel could "completely destabilize the situation in the Middle East."
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already offered mediation to swiftly end the Iran-Israel conflict. He discussed this during a phone call with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
According to Qatar-based Al Jazeera, citing Russia's state news agency TASS, both leaders expressed "deep concern" over the ongoing crisis and emphasized the need for a rapid resolution.
Putin conveyed that Russia is prepared to mediate in this crisis and updated the Emirati President on the progress of his discussions with other regional leaders on the matter.
