On Monday, Russia levelled accusations against President Joe Biden, suggesting that the airstrikes conducted in Iraq and Syria were not merely a response to a lethal attack on US soldiers but were orchestrated to bolster Biden’s image amidst the escalating presidential election campaign. The United States had initiated these airstrikes on Friday, targeting multiple sites linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and affiliated groups. The decision for these military actions came in the aftermath of an incident in Jordan where three US soldiers lost their lives. Washington attributed the attack to Iranian-backed militias.
In a Security Council meeting convened at Moscow’s behest to address the airstrikes, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia emphatically declared that there was no justification for the US military intervention. This stance from Russia introduces a diplomatic tension, questioning the motives behind the airstrikes and emphasizing the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the region. The situation underscores the need for careful navigation and diplomacy to address the underlying issues and prevent further escalation in the already volatile Middle East.
The statement conveyed by Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia points to a perception that the recent military actions taken by the United States in Iraq and Syria, characterized as ‘flexing their muscles,’ are primarily motivated by a desire to impact the domestic political landscape in America. Nebenzia suggests that these maneuvers are an attempt to rectify the perceived negative image of the current American administration on the global stage, particularly as the presidential election campaign gains momentum. This perspective underscores the belief that geopolitical actions may be influenced not only by regional dynamics but also by the broader context of international politics and domestic considerations.
The United States Responding to the Statement
In November, US voters will participate in the presidential election to choose the country’s leader for the next four years. The White House has not promptly responded to a request for comment regarding Nebenzia’s statements on President Biden.
Robert Wood, the Deputy US Ambassador to the UN, provided a justification for the US airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. This article addresses the individual or collective right of states to self-defense against armed attacks.
Wood emphatically stated, “Let me be clear: The United States does not seek additional conflict in a region where we are actively engaged in containing and de-escalating the situation in Gaza. We are not actively pursuing a direct conflict with Iran. However, we remain committed to defending our personnel against unacceptable attacks. Period.”
He clarified that the military strikes carried out in Syria and Iraq were distinctly separate from the US and British operations targeting the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen. The latter were responses to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
The Pentagon, responding on Monday, indicated that there was no awareness of any Iranian casualties resulting from the recent strikes. Iran’s UN Ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, strongly condemned the US actions, deeming them “illegitimate, illegal, and unjustified.” Iravani asserted the independence of all resistance groups in the region, rejecting any attempt to attribute these actions to Iran or its Armed forces as misleading, baseless, and unacceptable. He emphasized that Iran has no intention of contributing to regional spillover.