MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. The so-called "Iranian threat" was merely a pretext for implementing a long-cherished plan to violently overthrow the constitutional order in Iran. The US and Israel are plunging the Middle East ever deeper into an abyss of chaos, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news briefing.

Moscow rejects the attempts by London and Paris to dispute the data provided by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) revealing their plans to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine, she added.

TASS has compiled Zakharova's key statements.

US-Israeli attack on Iran

An unprecedented escalation and rising tensions are unfolding in the Middle East: "We see — and I believe everyone now understands — that an unprecedented escalation and tension are unfolding in the region."

The US and Israel, through their "irresponsible and reckless actions," are perpetrating lawlessness, plunging the Middle East ever deeper into an abyss of chaos.

The ongoing strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities carry serious radiological risks: "Iran’s nuclear facilities are once again coming under attack, which not only damages the global non-proliferation regime but also carries serious radiological risks: not on paper, but on the ground."

Iranian authorities are controlling the domestic political situation in the country, "preventing chaos, a power vacuum, and a humanitarian crisis."

The US and Israel themselves do not know how long the escalation around Iran might last: "One moment they said the objectives were met, now they say this may be indefinite."

US and Israel-caused oil tanker attacks by Iran are already leading to environmental problems in tourist zones: "After about a day and a half, fuel oil began to wash up on the shores of world resorts that are definitely not part of this region."

Russia on Middle East settlement

The crisis in the Middle East "has no military solution."

Russia "strongly urges" the parties to seek a political-diplomatic settlement and "renounce the use of force to resolve differences."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will continue contacts on the Middle East with foreign colleagues on March 4, with the foreign ministry providing up-to-date information.

Russia is ready to offer mediation to resolve the escalation around Iran, "if requested to do so."

Moscow demands security guarantees for Russian foreign missions in Iran: "We demand the exclusion of such outrageous incidents and the provision of security guarantees for our foreign missions, as well as other civilian facilities where our specialists work."

Russia is ready to facilitate the search for peaceful solutions around Iran "on the basis of international law and with due regard for the security interests of all countries in the region."

Moscow calls on Kabul and Islamabad to refrain from forceful confrontation and resolve issues "through mutually respectful dialogue."

Russia expects the IAEA leadership to respond to the lawlessness of Israel and the US against Iran and provide "an impartial and technically sound assessment of the potential radiological risks."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres must fulfil his obligations and prevent further escalation of US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

Russian tourists in Middle East

Preliminary estimates indicate "about 50,000 Russian tourists" in the Middle East, with another 6,000-8,000 tourists unable to leave Asian countries due to the closure of air traffic.

Middle Eastern escalation forced 292 Russian citizens to evacuate from Iran by March 3: "253 Russian citizens were evacuated via Azerbaijan, 31 were evacuated via Armenia, and 8 people crossed the Iran-Turkmenistan border," namely the Sarakhs, Artyk-Lotfabad, Gaudan-Bajgiran, Akyayla-Incheburun and Altyn Asyr-Incheburun checkpoints.

The Russian Foreign Ministry recommends that Russians refrain from traveling to the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia until the situation stabilizes.

Tourists and journalists should mind local legislation regarding taking photos and videos in Middle Eastern countries, especially in the United Arab Emirates, to avoid arrest: "This could become a reason for detention, sometimes even arrest, as well as complaints from citizens and the authorities."

Real goals of attack on Iran

The so-called "Iranian threat" was merely a pretext for implementing a long-cherished plan to violently overthrow the constitutional order in Iran: "There is no doubt that the oft-repeated imaginary, fabricated Iranian threat was merely a pretext for implementing a long-cherished plan to violently overthrow a constitutional, which must be stressed, order in a sovereign state displeasing to Washington and Tel Aviv."

Washington is already speaking openly about its goal of achieving "regime change in Iran."

Russia condemns the "vile murder of the head of the Iranian state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several representatives of the highest military-political leadership of that country."

Calls from Western countries to the Iranian people to "take power into their own hands" are particularly inhumane and cynical: "It is all the more cynical and inhumane to hear a call for Iranians to take power, as the West says, into their own hands, when the West, in the literal sense, is tearing those very hands off the Iranians."

Ukraine’s proposals on Middle East

Great Britain intends to involve the Kiev regime in its geopolitical adventure in the Middle East: "Apparently, the British authorities are firmly determined to involve the Ukrainian vassals in their next geopolitical adventure."

Vladimir Zelensky’s statements about the possibility of Ukrainian military specialists protecting the civilian population in the Middle East carry "inadequacy and satanic lies."

Data on "what Kiev did to minors" would blow the Epstein files out of the water: "I can imagine the scale of the global scandal that will, of course, surpass all of Epstein’s legacy once data on what the Kiev regime did to children is published."

Expansion of NATO’s nuclear arsenal

French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement on the country’s intention "to begin non-transparent expansion of its nuclear arsenal" aligns with NATO’s anti-Russian policies.

NATO is attempting to expand the European component of the nuclear arsenal in addition to the US stock: "Initial attempts to present this as an alternative to the US nuclear umbrella quickly gave way to recognition of the obvious fact that we are talking here about the expansion of the European nuclear component within NATO."

Moscow rejects the attempts by London and Paris to dispute the data provided by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) revealing their plans to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine: "We cannot accept the attempts by London and Paris — by the way, they have issued a formal response via diplomatic channels — to deny the authenticity of this information."

Britain and France’s decision to expand their nuclear arsenals "demands increased attention and careful integration into" Russia’s "military planning and development."

Any future agreements on strategic security "will require taking account of the nuclear capabilities of all NATO member countries."

The actions of such nuclear powers as the United States, Great Britain and France, "directly provoke a nuclear arms race."

Sweden announcing its plans to deploy nuclear weapons in the event of a potential military conflict undermines the non-proliferation regime: "And it is already clear that the plans announced by Sweden, albeit with the caveat of the possibility of using nuclear weapons only in the event of a war, absolutely do not add to strategic stability in Europe, but merely undermine the foundations of the international control and non-proliferation regime."

Special military operation

Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky is the one "authorized to provide information" on progress in negotiations on Ukraine. The public will be informed about a potential new round of negotiations on Ukraine when information becomes available, "Medinsky does not forget about journalists and the public."

"There is no reason to believe" that the situation in the Middle East will prevent the West from arming Kiev.

All foreign military medical contingents in Ukraine, including those from the United Kingdom, will be regarded as legitimate targets by the Russian Armed Forces.

Zelensky’s military defeat is obvious to any sensible individual: "As for Zelensky, whose military defeat is, I think, an obvious matter for anyone sensible, once again showers us with reckless statements that he wouldn't mind getting weapons of mass destruction. Naturally, that is the last thing he, Europe as a whole, and the world need."

Zelensky, fearing a reduction in Western financial support amid the Middle Eastern crisis, has switched from prescription drugs to "shoe polish": "Of course, we have heard and seen a lot, we understand what he is on. But it seems to me he has already switched to shoe polish.".