Russia and China have sharply criticised the recent US- and Israel-led strikes on Iran, yet both powers have refrained from offering military or civilian support to Tehran. While officials in Moscow and Beijing have voiced condemnation, neither country has signalled any concrete steps to assist Iran beyond rhetoric.
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China demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities, warning that continued military action could escalate the conflict beyond control.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed Beijing’s position during a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Tuesday.
According to a statement from China’s Foreign Ministry, Wang told his Israeli counterpart that the attack on Iran came at a time when negotiations between Washington and Tehran had “made significant progress, including addressing Israel’s security concerns.”
“Regrettably, this process has been interrupted by military action. China opposes any military strikes launched by Israel and the US against Iran,” Wang said during the call.
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China’s restrained stance on materially backing Iran is not new. Analysts note that although Beijing has strongly criticised military strikes against Tehran in the past, it has avoided providing direct support.
Last year, China similarly criticised US and Israeli strikes on Iran but did not extend material assistance, according to Chatham House, a British think tank.
The London-based policy institute also observed that China had supported UN-led economic sanctions against Tehran before the 2015 nuclear deal. Since then, Beijing has moved cautiously in channeling investment into the Iranian economy.
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Russia also condemned the attacks, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warning that the US and Israeli actions could trigger the very outcome they claim to be preventing, nuclear proliferation.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Lavrov said the “logical consequence” of the strikes could be that “forces will emerge in Iran… in favour of doing exactly what the Americans want to avoid – acquiring a nuclear bomb.”
“Because the US doesn’t attack those who have nuclear bombs,” he added.
Lavrov further cautioned that Arab nations might now feel compelled to pursue nuclear capabilities in light of recent developments, suggesting that “the nuclear proliferation problem will begin to spiral out of control.”
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Tehran has in recent years become a key strategic, military, economic and trade partner for Moscow in the Middle East. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Iran has emerged as a vital supplier of military drones and missiles to Russia.
Despite these close ties, neither the Kremlin nor President Vladimir Putin has spoken publicly about the situation.
Analysts argue that while Iran’s close allies have been strongly condemnatory in their rhetoric, both China and Russia have so far avoided taking concrete action to support Tehran.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
