Elena Teslova
12 March 2026•Update: 12 March 2026
MOSCOW
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday voiced serious concern over the humanitarian situation in Iran.
Responding to an Anadolu question at a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova said the death toll from the US and Israeli military operation against Iran has already reached the thousands, with educational and medical institutions, as well as UNESCO World Heritage sites, coming under aerial attack.
"The environmental damage from the strike on an oil storage facility in Tehran and its suburbs has yet to be assessed, but it is already clear that the negative consequences for the region in all aspects will be long-term," she said.
Zakharova noted that in light of the severe humanitarian situation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Ministry of Emergency Situations to arrange the delivery of medicines and pharmaceutical supplies to Iran.
"Regarding the situation with refugees, despite the fact that the aggression by the US and Israel has led to the destabilization of the entire Middle East, we are not yet witnessing a flow of forcibly displaced persons, although further escalation could lead to unpredictable consequences," she said.
Tensions gripped the Middle East after Israel and the US launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 and have so far killed more than 1,300 people, including Ali Khamenei, the country's former supreme leader, and more than 150 schoolgirls. More than 10,000 people were also injured in the Israeli and US attacks.
Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Eight US service members have been killed since the war began.
