Russia says signs of renewed military action against Iran are “extremely alarming,” urges more diplomacy

Russia said Monday that signals of possible new military action against Iran were “extremely alarming,” warning that further attacks would not break Iranians’ determination to defend their country’s sovereignty and independence.

“The signals that new military actions are being planned against the Islamic Republic are causing extreme alarm,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement published by the ministry.

Zakharova described the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel as unresolved and intertwined with broader crises across the Middle East.

“The tragic experience of recent months has convinced us that military adventures that sow death and destruction in Iran are powerless to break the will of Iranians to defend the sovereignty and independence of their country,” she said. “Those who are threatening new strikes today should think about it.”

Zakharova called for intensified diplomatic efforts to normalize the situation, saying Russia supports mediation and is prepared to help find and implement mutually acceptable solutions.

Moscow also said it hoped conditions in the Strait of Hormuz would return to normal while taking into account the interests of both coastal states and countries dependent on the shipping route.

The warning came as U.S.-Iran contacts continued after talks in Qatar ended without a breakthrough, while concerns remained that fighting could resume after Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections.