MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. The outcome of the vote on the Russian resolution concerning the Middle East situation in the UN Security Council raises questions about the genuine interest of those who advocate for a swift settlement of the conflict, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated during a press briefing.
She recalled that Russia, with the support of its Chinese partners, submitted an alternative draft to Bahrain’s resolution, emphasizing the urgent need for de-escalation and condemning attacks on civilian targets without assigning blame.
"It would seem that such an impartial and responsible decision by the UN Security Council should have garnered support from all its members committed to peace. However, only China, Pakistan, and Somalia voted in favor of our initiative," Zakharova noted. "The United States and Latvia voted against it, while the remaining members abstained - despite having expressed no objections to the Russian text during consultations. This suggests a lack of genuine interest in ending the current confrontation in the Middle East."
Zakharova underscored that, regardless of the March 11 vote, Russia regards it important to affirm the fundamental right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
"We strongly oppose strikes on civilian targets and infrastructure in Iran, neighboring Arab countries, and elsewhere," she stated. "We call on the United States and Israel to cease their aggressive actions and return to meaningful negotiations."
On the situation involving Iran
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a military operation targeting Iran, striking major Iranian cities, including Tehran. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats emanating from Tehran. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation, attacking targets in Israel. US facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also targeted. The strikes resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other senior Iranian officials.