Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated during a press conference today that while the United States and Israel appear prepared for a prolonged conflict with Iran, their ultimate objectives remain unknown to the international community.
"Based on the statements coming from the US and Israel — specifically from President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — it has been said quite directly: 'We will fight as long as we deem necessary.' Yet, no one knows the final goal," Lavrov remarked.
The foreign minister pointed to conflicting messaging from Washington regarding the recent escalation. "They eliminated the Supreme Leader of Iran and proudly announced it; the president said as much. Then, the secretary of war claimed, 'We had no intention of destroying him,'" Lavrov noted. "To provide meaningful mediation, one naturally needs a clear understanding of the direction in which the parties are moving."
Lavrov emphasized that such clarity is currently missing regarding the goals of his American counterparts. "Under all circumstances, we remain open to dialogue with both them and Israel. We have never broken off this dialogue," the minister said. "We believe that any concerns raised by our Israeli partners and the United States can and must be resolved through political and diplomatic methods."
"It seemed to us that the parties were very close to a political solution last Friday, following the conclusion of the latest round of Geneva negotiations," he concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS