Russia Warns US Against Military Intervention In Iran-Israel Conflict: 'Unpredictable Consequences'

Russia on Thursday issued a stern warning to the United States against any military involvement in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, according to AFP.

"We would like to particularly warn Washington against military intervention in the situation, which would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI File Photo

Moscow has also appealed to Israel to stop its airstrikes on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, where Russian experts are currently working.

Bushehr, Iran's only functioning nuclear power station, runs on Russian-supplied fuel, which is returned to Russia once used, as a safeguard against nuclear proliferation.

Just a day earlier, US President Donald Trump had stated he was considering joining Israel in military action against Iran. "I may do it, I may not do it," he said.

On Wednesday, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also cautioned the United States against providing direct military support to Israel.

"We caution Washington against even speculative, hypothetical options of this kind. It would be a step that would radically destabilize the entire situation," he said.

Zakharova, meanwhile, said Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure had brought the world alarmingly close to disaster.

"Nuclear facilities are being struck," she told Reuters, noting that the UN's nuclear safety watchdog had already identified specific damage.

"Where is the (concern from the) entire world community? Where are all the environmentalists? I don't know if they think they are far away and that this (radiation) wave won't reach them. Well, let them read what happened at Fukushima," she added, referencing the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan.

On Wednesday, alongside the United Arab Emirates, Russia called for an immediate halt to hostilities between Iran and Israel, urging a political and diplomatic resolution to disputes surrounding Tehran's nuclear programme.

"The imperative of an early cessation of hostilities and intensification of political and diplomatic efforts in the interests of resolving controversial issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme was emphasised," read a statement from the Kremlin, following a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Last week, President Putin had also spoken with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering to act as a mediator in the conflict.

However, Trump dismissed the idea of Putin mediating in the Iran-Israel dispute.

"He actually offered to help mediate, I said: 'do me a favour, mediate your own'," Trump told reporters on Wednesday, referring to Russia's internal issues.

"Let's mediate Russia first, okay? I said, Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first, you can worry about this later."