‘Pandora’s box’: Russia warns of ‘nuclear disaster’ after US bombs Iran

Vladimir Putin has slammed US attacks on Iran as “unprovoked” and “unjustified”, while a Russian diplomat has ominously warned the world faces “nuclear disaster”.

Vladimir Putin has slammed American attacks on Iran as “unprovoked” and “unjustified”, a day after a Russian diplomat warned the US had opened a “Pandora’s box” that could bring the world to the “verge of a nuclear disaster”.

The Russian President on Monday met with Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, following Donald Trump’s announcement on Saturday that the US military had carried out massive strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan — marking the first ever US attacks on Iranian territory.

Russia, which is a crucial backer of Iran, did not announce any concrete support at Monday’s meeting.

Moscow so far has condemned the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, but has not swung forcefully behind its partner.

“This absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran is unjustified,” Mr Putin said in televised remarks to Mr Araghchi at the start of their meeting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed the exchange after the talks by saying “they were unlikely to be effective” during such a “heated moment”.

Mr Araghchi later said the meeting was “very good” and that Russia’s stance on the issue remained “firm”, noting its role in the UN Security Council. He did not provide further details on the talks with the Russian leader.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: Alexander Kazakov/AFP

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said revealing details of the Putin-Araghchi meeting would have been “irresponsible” and that Russia and Iran were working on “many directions” when asked if Tehran requested military aid from Russia.

It came after Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia delivered an ominous warning.

“Through their actions, the US has opened a Pandora’s box,” Mr Nebenzia told an emergency meeting on Sunday.

“No one knows what new catastrophes and suffering it will bring. Unless we stop the escalation, the Middle East will find itself on the verge of a large-scale conflict with unpredictable consequences for the entire international security system, plus the entire world might end up on the verge of a nuclear disaster.”

Since Israel launched its wave of strikes on June 13, triggering Iran to respond with missiles and drones, Russia has not publicly offered military help to Tehran.

Russia was “making efforts to help the Iranian people”, Mr Putin said in the Monday meeting, without elaborating.

A Wall Street Journal illustration showing impact craters at Fordow. Picture: WSJ

Asked what specific support Russia might offer, Mr Peskov told reporters, “It all depends on what Iran needs. We have offered our mediation services.”

Mr Putin has pitched himself as a mediator between Iran and Israel, an idea rejected by Mr Trump last week.

Mr Peskov also said the strikes on Iran would not affect bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington — with the Kremlin seeking a rapprochement with the US since Mr Trump returned to power — saying they were “different issues”.

Russia had called on the US not to take military action against its ally — with Moscow-Tehran ties massively boosted during Russia’s Ukraine offensive — and speculation has grown about how the Kremlin would react.

Nikita Smagin, an independent expert on Russia-Iran relations, said Mr Araghchi was likely to have delivered a plea for military aid on behalf of the Iranian leadership.

“I don’t think that the head of the Iranian foreign ministry rushed to Moscow just to exchange concerns on the American strike,” he told AFP in a comment.

Mr Smagin speculated that Russia — caught up in its more than three-year Ukraine offensive — would rather distance itself from the Israel-Iran conflict and try to reap short-term benefits, such as higher oil prices and advancing in Ukraine while the West’s focus is on the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

On Monday evening, local time, Iran launched what it called its “mighty and victorious” response to US air strikes on its nuclear sites.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said “Operation Besharat al-Faith” saw missiles fired at the US’ Al Udeid air base in Qatar. It is the US’ largest air base in the region.

The skies across Qatar’s capital Doha — familiar to many Australians who fly through on the way to Europe — were streaked with antimissile interceptors and explosions.

Qatar said it brought down every missile. Both the US and Qatar have said there was no damage to the base and no injuries.

Writing on his Truth Social platform on Monday evening, Mr Trump said Iran had “officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered”.

“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done,” he wrote.

“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

A short time later, the US President announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total” ceasefire.

“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” he wrote.

“This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”