TEHRAN – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned recent U.S. military strikes against Iran during his address at the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, labeling the attacks a "violation of international law and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)."

Lavrov’s remarks follow the U.S.-Israeli 12-day war on Iran, which started on June 13 with Israel launching surprise strikes on Iranian nuclear, military, and civilian sites.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must ensure the security of Iran’s nuclear facilities and resolve disputes through dialogue," Lavrov declared, emphasizing that Iran—unlike Israel—is a signatory to the NPT and thus entitled to peaceful nuclear technology.

His statement echoed a formal Russian Foreign Ministry protest issued days earlier, which slammed the U.S. for a "blatant violation of the UN Charter" and warned the strikes "dealt a substantial blow to the global non-proliferation regime."

The June 22 U.S. bombing targeted nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, with President Donald Trump claiming he "obliterated" Iran’s enrichment capabilities, even though intelligence leaks and expert assessments cast doubt on that claim.

Lavrov also called for an immediate extension of the fragile “ceasefire between Iran and Israel,” which took effect on June 24 after 12 days of hostilities.

Moscow has consistently described the U.S.-Israeli actions as destabilizing "gunboat diplomacy," particularly criticizing Washington’s justification of "preventive self-defense"—a concept former President Dmitry Medvedev dismissed as legally indefensible.

Russia further contends that the attacks sabotage IAEA monitoring mechanisms and risk provoking Iran’s withdrawal from the NPT.

Russia recently supported a UN Security Council draft resolution condemning the strikes, aligning with China and Arab countries in the Persian Gulf.

At the East Asia Summit, Lavrov also described the Israeli war on Gaza and Palestinian territorial losses as intertwined crises, stating: "What is happening in the Palestinian territories poses a major challenge to the international community. If Israel continues its settlement activities, no territory will remain for the Palestinian Authority."