Standby Level 1 for US-Israel–Iran War Could Open the Door to World War III
Standby Level 1 for US-Israel–Iran War Could Open the Door to World War III
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – A warning by late Russian statesman Vladimir Zhirinovsky about the possibility of World War III has resurfaced as large-scale military escalations involving the United States and Israel against Iran occur. A video recorded in 2022 has circulated widely on social media. In the recording, Zhirinovsky, who at the time was the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, warned that tensions in the Middle East could exceed the conflict in Ukraine and potentially drag the world into a global war.
‘You do not factor in the situation in the Middle East. There will be events that will make everyone forget what Ukraine was,’ Zhirinovsky said in the video, cited by RT, Thursday (5/3/2026).
‘The issue is about World War III (PD III/PD3),’ he added, pointing to Iran as the flashpoint of escalation.
The statement remains relevant after the US and Israel launched a joint strike on targets inside Iran at the weekend. Washington and Tel Aviv said the operation aimed to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran strongly refuted the claim, stating that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
In the same video, Zhirinovsky predicted that Israel would target Iran’s nuclear facilities and provoke a rapid retaliation from Tehran. The situation, he argued, would be used by America as a pretext for large-scale military intervention.
‘Iran is not Vietnam, not North Korea, not Kosovo. This is where the most terrifying events will occur,’ Zhirinovsky said.
The escalation is not limited to Iran. Israel has also stepped up attacks on Lebanon after the Hizbollah group launched retaliatory rockets. The cross-border strikes are reported to have killed more than 1,200 people, with a barrage of missiles and drones hitting Iran, Israel, and the Gulf region.
The situation has grown even tenser after Iran described the military operation as an attempt to topple the regime. The impact, barriers to crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most important energy shipping lanes — have suffered significant disruptions.
Ongoing geopolitical tensions have raised fears in global markets that regional conflict could widen into a large-scale international confrontation, as Zhirinovsky warned before his death.