Israel and Iran's renewed and intensifying attacks at the start of this week, just prior to President Trump desperately trying to enforce a ceasefire, saw Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warn that World War III "could be just around the corner" - especially following America's entry into the conflict with the weekend bombing of Iran's nuclear sites.
He also called the B-2 bomber attacks authorized by Trump "irresponsible" and said they were in violation of international law. "This will be not peace and order, but complete chaos and, as [President Putin] said today, the third world war may be very close," Lavrov said.
Since the Ukraine war began, Russia has initiated closer defense ties with Tehran, and has relied on a steady supply of Iranian Shahed drones. It has offered to assist Iran based on specific requests, but is unlikely to get engaged in any military action against Israel.
Lavrov's comments focused 'big picture' and the unraveling of regional stability, and he connected the Mideast and Eastern European theatres. The 'chaos' sown by the US in the Middle East is parallel to the same in Ukraine, he explained.
"Their intention to use Ukraine against Russia is no longer hidden. Russia is demonized. Even the world demonized does not quite reflect this aggression, some kind of beastly one in rhetoric, in actions," he added.
This certainly isn't the first time the top Russian diplomat warned that Washington actions are preparing for potential WW3. For example last year, there was this:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued a World War III warning to the U.S., saying that the West was "asking for trouble" by even considering Ukrainian requests to use supplied weapons to conduct strikes deep within Russian territory.
Discussions about using Western supplied missiles to strike Russia are tantamount to "playing with fire," Lavrov told reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.
So it seems Moscow is now saying the US is also playing with fire in its attacks on Iran. There's also been much speculation that Trump's muscular and brazen actions are meant to signal China too.
Decades ago, Sen. Biden inadvertently predicted the future closer relations of 'pariah' states Russia, China, and Iran:
In 1997, Biden bragged that he dismissed Russia's concerns about NATO expansion. Moscow could be ignored as the US was the only game in town
— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) March 3, 2025
- Biden mocked Russia's warning it would have to align with China, and joked that Russia could also partner with Iran as the crowd laughed pic.twitter.com/eGYHjZ0qGT
But if anything, Russia and China are sitting back watching the chaos unfold, as a desperate Trump seems to now be begging 'America's closest ally' to halt the warplanes and abide by ceasefire. If Trump is unable to achieve ceasefire in the Middle East, Moscow and Beijing will surely take note of this too, and will use it as another black eye and charge against Washington.
