Russian official: Trump has started a new war on Iran that will strengthen Khamenei

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Moscow — A senior Russian official said on Sunday that by attacking Iran US President Donald Trump had started a new war that would only strengthen Tehran’s leaders by consolidating society around Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The Kremlin, which has a strategic partnership with Iran and also maintains close links to Israel, had repeatedly cautioned Washington that US strikes on Iran would plunge the entire region into the “abyss”.

“Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the US,” said Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, adding that “with this kind of success, Trump won’t win the Nobel Peace Prize”.

“Iran’s political regime has been preserved, and it is highly likely that it has become stronger,” Medvedev said. “The people are consolidating around the spiritual leadership, even those who did not sympathise with it.”

Medvedev also said that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure did not appear to be affected by the US strikes, and that the US was in danger of being drawn into a ground operation.

Russia’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the US attacks which it said had undermined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The UN Security Council must respond, Moscow said.

Inside Russia, there were calls for Russia to come to the aid of its partner and to supply Iran with the same support which Washington had given to Ukraine — including air defence systems, missiles and satellite intelligence.

“It’s time for us to help Tehran,” said Russian businessman Konstantin Malofeyev. “And at the same time, to offer the US and Iran diplomatic assistance in peace negotiations by appointing a special envoy for this. Two can play at this game.”

Reuters