REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE; UPDATES WITH ENGLISH VERSION OF STATEMENT POSTED ON X
By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) – Senior Russian official Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday claimed that several countries are prepared to directly supply Iran with nuclear warheads, following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
“A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,” Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said in a statement posted on X.
His comments came hours after US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had bombed nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. The strikes mark the latest escalation in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.
The US targeted Iran’s nuclear sites with six bunker-buster bombs dropped on the Fordo facility with B-2 stealth bombers, along with dozens of submarine-launched cruise missile strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities.
*Medvedev said "critical infrastructure of the nuclear fuel cycle" appeared to suffer minimal or no damage, adding that enrichment of nuclear material and "future production of nuclear weapons" would continue.
He warned that the US is now “entangled” in a new major conflict, this time “with prospects of a ground operation looming on the horizon,” saying the Iranian leadership has emerged politically stronger as a result of the attacks.
“The people are rallying around the country’s spiritual leadership, including those who were previously indifferent or opposed to it,” he said.
He argued that Trump has pushed Washington into another war and dismissed any prospects of the US president receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
Medvedev also claimed that the "vast majority of countries” oppose the actions of both the US and Israel.
The US strikes followed an intensification of Israeli military operations against Iran beginning June 13. Tehran responded with missile attacks on Israeli cities and military sites.
Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded in Israeli attacks. Israeli authorities reported 25 dead and several hundred injured from Iranian retaliatory strikes.