Russia Says Palestine Forgotten Amid US-Israel Versus Iran Conflict
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has cautioned that the Palestinian issue is in “deep crisis” due to the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran that has unfolded over recent weeks.
Lavrov described Palestine as “easily forgotten” as global attention shifts to the war raging between the US-Israel alliance and Iran.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, Lavrov stated that before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, Middle Eastern discussions had primarily focused on Palestinian statehood.
“Now everyone is talking about the crisis, the conflict in the Middle East, but they are not referring to Palestine at all. Palestine is easily forgotten,” Lavrov said in his statement.
He characterised this stance as “the most serious blow to the reputation of the international community”, particularly the United Nations (UN).
“I believe everyone here—perhaps first and foremost the countries in the region, the Arab states—needs to recognise their responsibility. And we will be ready to actively support such an approach, so that the UN is held accountable for the decisions it has made,” he said.
Regarding the escalating tensions between the US, Israel and Iran, Lavrov called for a ceasefire as “an urgent and priority step”.
“All efforts must be made to ensure that all parties involved in this crisis cease actions that damage civilian infrastructure and cause civilian casualties,” he stated.
He argued that Washington and Tel Aviv have already realised “how grave their miscalculation was with the swift operations” against Tehran.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s willingness to serve as a mediator if efforts are genuinely directed towards resolving the crisis. He also stressed that Iran requires security guarantees.
Finally, he criticised US statements about seeking to seize all of Iran’s enriched uranium, stating that such an approach demonstrates Washington’s intention to control global energy resources.