WANA (Jan 29) – Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna, said in an interview that the situation surrounding Iran is moving toward a dangerous escalation, and that the United States’ negotiating approaches resemble ultimatums more than diplomacy, whereas this crisis should be resolved gradually and with delicacy.
In this interview, the Russian diplomat expressed concern in reaction to recent developments that the Middle East may be on the verge of a war. The situation surrounding Iran is intensifying.
Some experts, noting that a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group has been deployed in the Indian Ocean, do not rule out the possibility of a U.S. military attack on Iran, one of the largest countries in the region.
Washington justifies its actions as efforts to force Tehran to accept a new nuclear agreement. This comes despite the fact that the United States and its European allies have repeatedly undermined previous similar agreements with the Islamic Republic.
According to reports, the United States has deployed a dozen F-15 fighter jets to the region. In addition, advanced F-35 fighter jets are stationed aboard the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.
Mikhail Ulyanov said: “We are always ready to provide mediation services, of course if both negotiating parties request it, which has not happened so far. First and foremost, Washington and Tehran must reach an agreement with each other themselves. However, the perception has formed that the lack of progress on the bilateral track is largely linked to the highly excessive nature of the American side’s negotiating approaches, which are more reminiscent of ultimatums.”
Ulyanov went on to explain: “Israel and the United States attacked facilities in June last year that were under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, that is, facilities whose entirely peaceful nature had been confirmed by this body. Nevertheless, neither the Director General of the Agency nor the Board of Governors provided an appropriate and negative assessment of these events, even though these actions dealt a very serious blow to the nuclear non-proliferation regime.”
Russia’s Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna continued by saying that the issue of resuming inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency is now on the agenda. Ulyanov stated: “Advancing this goal should be carried out ‘without haste, consistently, and of course very delicately,’ if we want to achieve a positive result rather than a new round of escalation.”
The Russian diplomat emphasized that, unlike Western countries, Moscow does not intend to “inflame the atmosphere or demand the immediate restoration of inspectors’ access to all Iranian nuclear facilities.” He recalled that Russia is ready to assist in reaching an agreement between the Agency and Iran, if such assistance is requested by both sides.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in November 2025 that since the end of the military clashes between Iran and Israel, the Agency has conducted more than a dozen inspections, but still has not gained access to key nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
