An ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin has said that “a full-scale war” in the Middle East is possible following Israel’s airstrikes on Iran.
Israel launched a series of airstrikes across Iran early Friday, targeting critical nuclear facilities and military infrastructure in what appears to be one of the most significant assaults on Iranian soil since the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s.
Iran’s foreign minister said the strikes were “tantamount to a declaration of war” in a letter to the United Nations, Iranian state media reported.
Konstantin Kosachev, vice-speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament and head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, made clear that Moscow would stand by its ally, Iran.
“Israel’s actions cannot be justified from a legal, political, military or moral point of view. The only hope, albeit illusory, of avoiding a full-scale war is a consolidated condemnation of this operation by the international community,” he said, according to Russia’s official TASS news agency.
“We can and must hope for another demonstration of restraint from Iran. One must always hope for the best, but naturally there are limits to [Iran’s] patience.”
‘Vicious Circle of Escalation’ between Israel and Iran
He added that the “vicious circle of escalation is rapidly spiraling upward.”
“Netanyahu said that Israel struck ‘at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program.’ In reality, there are many more strikes … And the most unfortunate thing is that this is not the end of the story. An Iranian response to Israel is inevitable, the vicious circle of escalation is rapidly spiraling upward,” he said.
Smoke rises up after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025.
Smoke rises up after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025.
AP Photo/Vahid Salemi
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said: “Russia is concerned about the developments and condemns this sharp escalation.”
At least two senior Iranian military commanders were killed in the attack, along with several key nuclear scientists, according to Iranian state media.
The strikes mark a dramatic escalation in the long-simmering tensions between the two rivals—and have reignited fears of a broader Middle East war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “severe punishment” for Israel in a televised address.
Air-raid sirens were activated across Israeli cities as a precautionary measure amid heightened alert levels.
Trump calls Israeli strikes on Iran ‘excellent’
In an interview with ABC News, U.S. President Donald Trump said the Israeli strikes on Iran were “excellent” and said “there’s more to come.”
“I think it’s been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn’t take it,” Trump told ABC on Friday morning. “They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you’re going to get hit. And there’s more to come, a lot more.”