Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya stated that the conflict between the United States and Iran began due to reckless American aggression. Speaking to state news agency RIA Novosti, the Russian diplomat said the breakdown in relations between Washington and Tehran was not caused by Iran.
Nebenzya noted that the root cause of the conflict was unprovoked aggression started by the United States rather than anything Iran had done or failed to do. He stated that he does not consider Tehran to be failing to fulfill its international agreements, adding that the Iranian government should not be blamed for any disruption of those deals.
Nebenzya has represented Moscow at the United Nations in New York since 2017, advocating Russia's foreign policy on the UN Security Council alongside fellow permanent members including the United States. His comments come amid long-running geopolitical tension in the Middle East over Iranian nuclear policy and American economic sanctions.
US economic pressure on Iran
The Russian envoy's remarks follow a public declaration by US President Donald Trump of a new economic operation against Iran. American news outlets reported that the US leader became disappointed in the prospects for diplomatic negotiations and resolved to gradually strangle the Iranian economy through tighter restrictions.
As part of that campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported that American officials spent several weeks demanding that the United Arab Emirates step up economic pressure on neighboring Iran. The UAE is a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula that maintains major commercial ports and financial hubs along the Persian Gulf.
Authorities in the UAE expressed concern that the White House strategy to intensify economic measures against Tehran could damage key economic sectors across the Persian Gulf states. Local officials warned that broader sanctions and trade restrictions could ripple through regional markets and destabilize Gulf economies.
