Zelenskiy Urges That Recent Shifts in Iran Be Harnessed for the People

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on March 1 that the disruptions in Iran produced by recent U.S. and Israeli strikes present an opportunity that should be used to benefit the Iranian people, who he said have endured significant violence from their authorities. Zelenskiy reiterated accusations that Iran supplied drones to Russia and that Moscow has launched tens of thousands of those weapons at Ukraine, and he urged that lessons be drawn from actions taken against Iranian leaders.

Key Points

Zelenskiy calls for recent changes in Iran, resulting from U.S. and Israeli strikes, to be used to benefit the Iranian people who have endured state violence.
He accused Iran of supplying attack drones to Russia in Moscow's four-year-old war in Ukraine and said that Moscow has fired more than 57,000 Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones at Ukraine.
Zelenskiy thanked those "trying to prevent the spread of war" and urged Russia to note that "justice is finally served in the end."

On March 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed viewers in his nightly video message and said the disturbances in Iran produced by U.S. and Israeli strikes should be seized in a way that benefits ordinary Iranians.

Zelenskiy said Iran's leadership had been responsible for killing "tens of thousands of people in the last couple of months alone," a reference to the authorities' crackdown on protests. He framed the recent strikes as creating "a chance for changes in Iran" and stressed that "it is important that the this chance for changes in Iran be used properly."

Highlighting Tehran's role in regional conflicts, Zelenskiy said Iran "predetermined the way it is treated" by supplying attack drones to Russia in Moscow's four-year-old conflict in Ukraine and by having "fomented wars in the region."

He emphasized the plight of Iranian citizens under those authorities, saying the Iranian people "were on their own for a long time, enduring violence while standing against the Iranian regime." Zelenskiy called for the opportunity represented by recent events to be put to constructive use on behalf of those people.

Returning to comments he had made on the previous day, he "repeated his contention, stated on Saturday after the strikes began, that U.S. resolve 'brings results.'" Zelenskiy also expressed gratitude to "everyone who is trying to prevent the spread of war."

Addressing Russia directly, he urged Moscow to take note of what had occurred to Iranian leaders and said that "justice is finally served in the end." Zelenskiy also reiterated a statistic he stated on Saturday, that Moscow had fired more than 57,000 Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones at Ukraine during the war.

The comments link the recent strikes and their consequences in Iran to broader concerns about regional stability, the humanitarian toll of repression, and Tehran's role supplying weapons used in the conflict in Ukraine. Zelenskiy's remarks centered on the need to ensure any change helps the Iranian population who have protested and suffered heavy losses, according to his account.

Risks

Ongoing violence and repression in Iran, cited as having killed "tens of thousands of people in the last couple of months alone," which creates humanitarian and political uncertainty - impacts human rights and geopolitical stability.
Continued transfer and use of attack drones, with Russia having fired more than 57,000 Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones at Ukraine, sustaining military escalations - impacts defense, aerospace, and energy infrastructure sectors.
Uncertain regional dynamics following U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran, which could complicate diplomatic efforts and efforts to prevent wider conflict - impacts international relations and energy market sentiment.

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