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By Sonam Sheth
Evening Politics Editor
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The Russian government on Sunday "strongly condemned" the United States' strikes the day before against three key Iranian nuclear facilities and is preparing to hold direct talks with Iranian officials to address the fallout.
Why It Matters
Trump on Saturday evening announced what he described as a "very successful attack" against three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
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U.S. officials said the attacks caused severe damage, but questions remain about the full extent of the damage and how much of a setback it is for Iran's nuclear program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Trump administration for taking an offensive position in the conflict, which Israeli officials have strongly advocated for since Israel first ignited the war on June 13.
The Israelis said the U.S. should strike Iran's nuclear facilities because Tehran was getting close to developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies the charge, saying its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.
Iran vowed to retaliate after Saturday's strikes, accusing the U.S. of crossing "a very big red line" with its decision to pummel the three nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.
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What To Know
"It is already clear that a dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement addressing the U.S.'s strikes. "The risk of the conflict spreading in the Middle East, which is already gripped by multiple crises, has increased significantly."
Russia also called the strikes "irresponsible" and a "gross violation of international law."
Iran and Russia will hold talks in the aftermath of the U.S. strikes and Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said hours after the attacks that he will travel to Moscow while emphasizing Iran's "strategic partnership" with Russia.
A top Russian official and close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin also skewered Trump on social media after he announced the U.S.'s strikes on Iran.
"The US is now entangled in a new conflict, with prospects of a ground operation looming on the horizon," Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, wrote in a thread on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.
Medvedev went on to praise Iran's "political regime," saying it "survived" the strikes and "in all likelihood, has come out even stronger."
"Donald Trump, once hailed as 'president of peace,' has now pushed the US into another war," he wrote. "The vast majority of countries around the world oppose the actions of Israel and the United States."
"At this rate, Trump can forget about the Nobel Peace Prize — not even with how rigged it has become," Medvedev added. "What a way to kick things off, Mr. President. Congratulations!"
Trump, for his part, said on social media after that if Iran retaliated against the U.S., it would "BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT."
What People Are Saying
Trump on Sunday mused on Truth Social about the possibility of regime change in Iran, directly undercutting statements from top administration officials who said the U.S. was not looking to overthrow the Iranian government: "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!"
Leon Panetta, who served as Secretary of Defense under former President Barack Obama, defended the Trump administration's Iran strikes, telling CNN: "I think we have made very clear that the United States would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. I think there was an effort to try to negotiate, but I think the bottom line was that Iran was not interested in negotiating and willing to do anything to stop their enrichment and bomb capability. And so I don't think the United States had any alternative but to conduct this type of attack."
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary General, addressed an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Sunday, telling its members: "The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling. We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation."
He added later: "I urge this Council – and all Member States – to act with reason, restraint, and urgency. We cannot—and must not—give up on peace."
Iranians spoke out after the U.S.'s strikes, with one civilian telling Newsweek: "We don't know what to do anymore."
Another civilian said: "Every day we wake up fearing the worst. We don't know what to expect next."
What Happens Next
Iranian and Russian officials will meet this coming week to discuss the U.S.'s strikes. Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, also told French President Emmanuel Macron that the U.S. will "receive a response" to its "aggression," despite Trump's pledge that any retaliation from Iran would be met with "far greater" force than "what was witnessed" with the U.S.'s strikes on Saturday.
Update 6/22/25, 8:44 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and context.
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