Russia delivered one of the earliest reactions to the joint United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, with former president Dmitry Medvedev accusing Washington of abandoning diplomacy and exposing its real intentions.
Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's security council, said the attack showed Donald Trump's “true colours” and claimed negotiations with Tehran had never been genuine.
“No one was ever really interested in negotiating,” he wrote on Telegram.
Iran and Israel exchanged missile fire on Saturday after Israel, backed by the United States, launched what it described as a pre-emptive attack on Tehran.
The Israeli military said an “additional barrage of missiles” had been launched toward Israel, adding that its air defence systems were working to intercept incoming threats while sirens sounded across multiple areas.
Explosions were reported across the region, including in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Doha, according to AFP, as the conflict's impact spread beyond Iran and Israel.
Reports said that strikes occurred near the offices of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reuters reported the 86-year-old leader was not in Tehran at the time and had been transferred to a secure location.
Putin Faces Strategic Balancing Act
The escalation places Russian President Vladimir Putin in a difficult position. Iran remains one of Moscow's closest partners and has supported Russia's war effort in Ukraine by supplying drones and missiles.
Tehran has also recently signed an arms agreement with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles.
Trump Announces “Major Combat Operations”
US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had entered what he described as a new phase of military action shortly after the strikes began.
The objective, he said, was to “defend the American people by removing imminent threats from Iran”.
Calling Iran the world's “number one state sponsor of terror”, Trump added: “For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted, Death to America, and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops, and the innocent people in many, many countries.”
