BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, sharply criticized the United States for expressing readiness to resume talks with Iran after launching airstrikes on its nuclear sites, Trend reports.
“Today we will once again hear cynical statements from U.S. representatives about their willingness to return to negotiations — as if there hadn’t just been a series of overnight strikes using powerful munitions against Iran,” Nebenzya said. He claimed the aim was to “hypocritically portray Iran as the spoiler of the negotiation process and the destabilizing force in the Middle East.”
Nebenzya also dismissed U.S. assertions that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons: “No one will believe their attempts to convince the Security Council that the Islamic Republic is trying to obtain a nuclear bomb.”
“We regret that some of you still lack the courage to call things by their names and condemn the tone of what’s happening,” he added, calling Russia’s participation in the proceedings “a theater of the absurd and of cynicism.”
The Russian envoy also criticized calls by several countries — including the United Kingdom — urging restraint from Iran. “The UK’s representative calls on Iran to show restraint — the very country that was subjected to an unprovoked attack and bombardment of its nuclear facilities,” Nebenzya said. “As if it were Iran, and not Israel and the U.S., that pushed the situation to the brink.”
“We’ve seen plenty of hypocrisy in this chamber, but this stands apart,” he concluded. “It’s a striking example of double standards from those who, in recent days, have been fueling tensions over the impending expiration of Resolution 2231.”