ASIATODAY.ID, MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that the joint US-Israeli assault on Iran could ultimately trigger the very outcome it claims to prevent: nuclear proliferation.
Washington and Tel Aviv say the strikes were launched to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
However, Lavrov argued that such logic is dangerously counterproductive.
He criticized remarks by US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who described Iran’s insistence on its right to uranium enrichment as unacceptable.
“If this logic is imposed, I guarantee that powerful forces will emerge in Iran seeking exactly what the United States wants to prevent: the creation of a nuclear bomb. Countries that possess nuclear weapons are not attacked by the United States,” Lavrov said.
Iran’s Peaceful Nuclear Rights Recognized Under NPT
Lavrov stressed that Iran’s right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program, including uranium enrichment, is recognized under international law within the safeguards framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
“In a paradoxical twist, a war declared to prevent proliferation could stimulate the opposite trend,” he stated.
Lavrov also referenced the precedent of Libya. Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi abandoned his country’s nuclear program, only to be overthrown and killed during the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 — a case that, according to several diplomats, serves as a cautionary lesson for states weighing unilateral disarmament.
Iran maintains that weapons of mass destruction are forbidden under Islamic doctrine. The late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious decree in the 1990s banning nuclear arms. Tehran denies Israeli accusations that it is secretly pursuing nuclear weapons capability.
Russia Loses Contact with Iran’s Nuclear Leadership as Bushehr Faces Growing Threat
Amid the escalating military confrontation, Russia has confirmed it has lost contact with Iran’s senior nuclear leadership.
State nuclear corporation Rosatom said the status of several Iranian atomic facilities remains unclear as airstrikes continue.
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev announced that operations at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in southern Iran have been suspended due to nearby airstrikes.
A total of 639 Russian personnel remain at the facility. Rosatom is the primary contractor at Bushehr and is currently constructing its second and third power units.
While communication with on-site Iranian officials continues, Rosatom has lost contact with the country’s top nuclear leadership. The status of other nuclear installations across Iran is currently unknown.
“The station is clearly under threat. Explosions are already being heard just kilometers from the plant’s physical perimeter. They are not targeting the station directly but nearby military facilities. Nevertheless, the threat is growing,” Likhachev stated.
Risk of Regional Catastrophe
Bushehr reportedly stores approximately 70 tons of nuclear fuel and more than 210 tons of depleted fuel. According to Likhachev, any strike on these stockpiles could trigger a catastrophic incident of at least regional масшет.
Rosatom has already evacuated nearly 100 people from Iran, including non-essential staff and employees’ children. The company plans to evacuate an additional 150–200 personnel once conditions permit.
With communication channels disrupted, substantial nuclear materials on site, and military escalation intensifying, the conflict now carries risks far beyond conventional warfare. The prospect of a regional nuclear emergency is no longer a distant scenario but an increasingly tangible threat. (RT)
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