By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Sunday condemned airstrikes by the US on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
“The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb strikes, no matter what arguments are used, is a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions, which have previously unequivocally classified such actions as unacceptable,” said a Foreign Ministry statement.
Expressing that the launch of the strikes by a permanent member of the UN Security Council is “particularly alarming,” the statement said the consequences of the attacks have yet to be assessed.
“But it is already obvious that a dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security. The risk of an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, already engulfed in multiple crises, has increased significantly,” it further said.
The statement also said the strikes have caused “enormous” damage to the authority of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the verification and monitoring system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) based on it.
“We expect a prompt professional and clear response from the agency's leadership without evasive phrases and attempts to hide behind political ‘equidistance.’ An objective report from the IAEA Director General is needed for consideration at a special session of the agency, which is scheduled to take place in the very near future,” the statement went on to say.
It also said the UN Security Council must respond, highlighting the necessity to collectively reject the US and Israel’s “confrontational” actions.
“We call for an end to aggression and to increase efforts to create conditions for returning the situation to a political and diplomatic channel,” it added.
US President Donald Trump said earlier Sunday that his forces bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Following the US strikes, Iran called on the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting to condemn the US aggression and to hold accountable those who violate international law.
Hostilities broke out on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.
Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.
Meanwhile, in Iran, 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to the Iranian Health Ministry.