MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. The recent US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites compromised control over compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, undermining trust in international mechanisms aimed at safeguarding the rights of non-nuclear states and emphasizing the need for countries to enhance their air defenses, Andrey Sushentsov, head of Moscow State Institute of International Relations’ department of international relations and member of the scientific advisory board under the Russian Security Council, said in an interview with TASS.
"First, the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities have seriously damaged the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its verification system. In fact, two nuclear powers carried out an unprovoked act of aggression against a country that does not possess nuclear weapons," the analyst pointed out.
Sushentsov believes that not only the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) failed to protect Iran, but some experts argue the US could have used information obtained from the agency to justify its strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. "This significantly eroded trust in international mechanisms designed to protect the rights of non-nuclear countries. The nations that seek sovereignty and independence are now in urgent need of developing ways to defend themselves against possible attacks by third countries, carried out under any pretext," the expert added.
"Second, the crisis has aggravated the problem of oil exports from the Persian Gulf. Iran considered blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a vital regional route for oil shipments. China, the main importer of this oil, realizes the crisis is far from resolved and what we have now is merely a temporary pause, so it has to seek alternatives, including the expansion of overland trade corridors and building new oil pipelines, particularly from Russia," Sushentsov elaborated.
"Third, the crisis has exposed the need to tighten control over airspace and deploy advanced air defenses. Major powers have accelerated efforts to acquire air defense systems that would enable them to pursue an independent foreign policy without external interference," the political scientist concluded.
Overnight into June 13, Israel launched a military operation against Iran. Less than 24 hours later, Tehran retaliated. Nine days later, in the early hours of June 22, US jets targeted three Iranian nuclear sites, effectively entering the conflict. The following evening, Tehran carried out a missile strike on Al Udeid, the largest US military base in the region, located in Qatar. According to US officials, there were no casualties or significant damage. US President Donald Trump later announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a complete ceasefire. The truce took effect on June 24.