00:15The Middle East is on edge tonight, and now, Russia has issued a direct warning to the
00:22United States.
00:23In a February 18 interview with Saudi Arabia's Al-Arabia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
00:30Lavrov delivered a blunt message.
00:32Any new U.S. military strike on Iran would bring what he called serious consequences,
00:38and not just political fallout.
00:41Lavrov warned of the risk of a possible nuclear incident if American forces were to strike
00:47Iranian nuclear facilities that are currently under monitoring by the International Atomic
00:52Energy Agency.
00:53He said previous attacks on Iranian sites had already created real risks.
00:58His message was clear.
01:00Hit those facilities again, and the world could face catastrophic escalation.
01:05This comes as indirect U.S.-Iran talks continue in Geneva.
01:09Iran has reportedly offered to reduce uranium enrichment levels in exchange for sanctions
01:14relief.
01:14But Washington's position remains firm—full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program.
01:20And here's where the divide sharpens.
01:22Lavrov publicly reaffirmed Iran's inalienable right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes,
01:28under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
01:30In other words, Russia is directly rejecting the U.S. demand that Iran give up enrichment entirely.
01:36He framed American threats as absolutely unacceptable, and accused Washington of playing with fire.
01:43That is not routine diplomacy.
01:44That is strategic pushback.
01:47And this isn't just rhetoric.
01:49On February 18th and 19th, Russian warships, including the Corvette Stoyki, docked in Iran's
01:55Bandar Abbas port for joint naval drills.
01:58These exercises are part of the Maritime Security Belt 2026 operations involving Russia, Iran,
02:04and China in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil chokepoints.
02:08At the same time, the U.S. has increased naval presence in the region, including deployments
02:13like the USS Abraham Lincoln.
02:14So what we are seeing is parallel military positioning.
02:17Russia has long backed Iran, from supplying S-300 air defense systems to helping develop
02:23the Boucher nuclear reactor.
02:24Now Moscow is offering diplomatic cover and strategic coordination.
02:29Lavrov is essentially saying if the U.S. strikes Iran, it won't be a contained event.
02:33It could trigger regional retaliation against U.S. bases in the Gulf, against Israel, or disrupt
02:38oil slows through Hormuz.
02:40And while analysts say a full-scale world war scenario remains unlikely because major powers
02:44prefer proxy engagement over direct war, the alignment between Russia, Iran, and China
02:49is becoming more visible.
02:50So what does this mean?
02:52It means the stakes are rising.
02:54Diplomacy is still on the table, but military positioning is increasing, the language is
02:58hardening, and nuclear facilities are at the center of the tension.
03:02One miscalculation, one strike, could shift the balance dramatically.
03:06For now, the world watches Geneva, but the warships in the Gulf tell another story.
03:10And the question remains, is this deterrence or the beginning of something much bigger?
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