World War III imminent as Russia threatens USA, Turkey backs Iran

World War III imminent as Russia threatens USA, Turkey backs Iran

 

Iran Israel war like situation has sent shockwaves around the world. This has raised fears that the raging conflict may lead to start of World War 3.

 

Is World War 3 imminent? The question has been doing rounds on the social media even as Iran-Israel conflict and Russia-Ukraine war are showing no signs of having peaceful conclusion. Given that both middle east nations have strong allies, fears of catastrophic consequence remain unabated. President Donald Trump has called for Tehran to surrender but Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected the proposal and warned the US against joining Israeli strikes. Russia on Wednesday also asked the Washington not to get involved in the directly. The latest Israeli strikes hit a facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components in Iran, the Israeli military said. In a first, Iran appears to have successfully downed an Israeli drone over the Isfahan area in the Islamic Republic on Tuesday, according to the state media, The Times of Israel reported. Tehran also launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties.

 

Iran Warns USA

 

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded on Wednesday to U.S President Donald Trump’s call for the country to surrender, warning that any U.S. strike will have “serious irreparable consequences”. Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender.

 

Russia Intervenes

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned on Wednesday that direct U.S. military assistance to Israel could radically destabilise the situation in the Middle East, where an air war between Iran and Israel has raged for six days. Ryabkov warned the U.S. against direct military assistance to Israel or even considering such “speculative options,” according to Russia’s Interfax news agency.

 

In separate comments, the head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, was quoted as saying that the situation between Iran and Israel was now critical.

 

Israel launched air strikes last Friday against Iran’s nuclear sites, scientists and top military leaders in a surprise attack that Russia condemned as unprovoked and illegal. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who in January signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran, has called for a cessation of hostilities between the two sides.

 

Turkey Backs Iran

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday Iran had the “legitimate” right to defend itself in the face of Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign, now in its sixth day.

 

On Monday, Erdogan said he had ordered the defence industry to increase production of medium and long-range missiles to “increase its level of deterrence” in light of the air war between Israel and Iran.