Russia: Have not seen any proof Iran was building nuclear weapons

Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said ​on Tuesday that Moscow ​had still seen no evidence that ​Iran was developing nuclear weapons as the U.S. and Israel pursue their attack.

U.S. President Donald Trump has offered various reasons for ‌going to ⁠war ⁠with Iran. On Monday, in his most extensive public comments ​so far, he said he had ordered the attack to ​thwart Tehran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Lavrov told Brunei's foreign minister during talks in Moscow: "We still see no ​evidence that Iran was developing ⁠nuclear weapons, ‌which was the main, if not ​the only, ​justification for the war."


He said the ⁠consequences of the attack on Iran were being ​felt throughout the region, and that Arab ​countries were bearing economic costs and suffering casualties.

He reiterated Russia's call for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties:

"As an unconditional first step, we must do everything possible to stop any ‌actions that result in civilian casualties."

He pointed to the reported bombing of a school in ​Iran.

Iranian ​state media have ⁠accused Israel and the U.S. of a strike on a girls' primary school in the southern Iranian town that ​Tehran said had killed more than 160 people.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. forces would not deliberately attack a school.