MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. Western states were afraid to call a spade a spade at the UN Security Council meeting convened in response to the Israeli and US strikes on Iran, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov has told a news conference.
The senior diplomat described the escalation around Iran as another in a series of unprovoked acts of armed aggression against a sovereign independent state, a violation of the UN Charter, and interference in the country's internal affairs.
"Unfortunately, at this meeting (of the UN Security Council - TASS), if you look at the speeches of many countries, this was not even mentioned. For some reason, our partners are unable, afraid, unwilling, or cautious to call a spade a spade. We are doing this," Alimov noted.
"What resonated with me, and with everyone else, and what Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya spoke about, is a true betrayal of diplomacy, because all these events, all the escalation, all the aggression, began against the backdrop of negotiations, the latest round of which concluded in Geneva literally the day before. There were plans to continue them. Indeed, against this backdrop, we are faced with a blatant act of aggression," he added.
Alimov emphasized that the most important thing now is to prevent further escalation. "Of course, the positions of all countries are determined by the balance of their interests in the region, primarily regional countries. We are aware of their positions. Contacts with them at all levels, including at the highest levels, are being conducted," he noted.