Lavrov Says Russia Has Found No Signs Iran Is Building Nuclear Arms

Russia’s foreign minister told visiting Brunei officials that Moscow has not seen evidence Iran is developing nuclear weapons, a claim he said removes the primary justification offered for recent U.S. and Israeli military action. Sergei Lavrov also warned that the attack’s effects are being felt across the region, including economic costs and civilian casualties, and urged an immediate stop to actions causing civilian deaths.

Key Points

Russia says it has not seen evidence Iran was developing nuclear weapons, calling into question the main justification cited for the U.S. and Israeli attacks.
Lavrov warned the attacks are producing regional effects - including economic costs for Arab countries and civilian casualties.
The reported strike on a girls’ primary school in southern Iran, which Iranian state media say killed more than 160 people, is central to calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities; U.S. officials say they would not deliberately target a school.

Overview

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow remains unconvinced by claims Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, a position he presented while meeting Brunei’s foreign minister in Moscow. His comments came as the United States and Israel continue strikes that Washington says were ordered to counter Tehran’s military programmes.

Lavrov’s remarks

Lavrov told Brunei’s foreign minister that "We still see no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, which was the main, if not the only, justification for the war." He framed the absence of such evidence as undercutting the central rationale cited by U.S. leaders for the operation.

He went on to describe wider repercussions from the assault, saying the consequences were being experienced throughout the region. He said Arab states were incurring economic costs and suffering casualties as a result of the hostilities.

Call to stop civilian harm

Reiterating Russia’s position, Lavrov urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately. "As an unconditional first step, we must do everything possible to stop any actions that result in civilian casualties," he said, and pointed to reporting of a school struck in Iran as an example of such harm.

Reports of casualties

Iranian state media have accused Israel and the U.S. of striking a girls’ primary school in a southern Iranian town, reporting that the attack killed more than 160 people. Lavrov referenced the reported bombing while making his appeal to halt actions that produce civilian deaths.

U.S. response

The U.S. side has defended its operations. U.S. President Donald Trump has given various reasons for ordering action against Iran; in his most extensive public remarks on Monday he said he had ordered the attack to thwart Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. forces would not deliberately attack a school.

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Reporting in this piece is limited to statements and claims presented by the parties above and does not assess or add external evidence.

Risks

Civilian casualties and humanitarian harm - reported school strike with large loss of life raises acute human and political risks, affecting public sentiment and potential diplomatic responses.
Regional economic impact - Lavrov said Arab countries are bearing economic costs from the conflict, which could affect regional trade and energy markets.
Escalation and sustained hostilities - continued strikes by the U.S. and Israel, combined with contested justifications for the operation, create uncertainty over the duration and broader consequences of the campaign.

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