Russian Hypocrisy on Display at the UN on Iran’s Behalf

Ties to the Persian Gulf region are “among Russia’s foreign policy top priorities,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared during a ministerial meeting with Arab Gulf states in the resort town of Sochi last September. But as those countries last week called on Russia’s strategic partner Iran to halt its missile and drone attacks on their territory, Russia showed what its foreign policies truly are.

During a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on March 11, intended to respond to Iran’s belligerence against the Gulf states, the Russian delegation proposed a resolution that avoided blaming Iran for its actions. While the resolution ultimately failed, it reveals that Moscow would rather provide diplomatic cover for the Islamic Republic than achieve regional security.

Despite Russia’s Efforts, Security Council Condemns Iran’s Attacks

The UNSC assembled to consider a resolution from Bahrain condemning Iran’s attacks on Arab countries since the U.S.-Israel war against the Islamic Republic began on February 28. The resolution demanded the “immediate cessation” of Iran’s “egregious attacks” against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. Since the start of the conflict, Iran has launched more than 2,000 drones and more than 800 missiles, targeting both military and civilian sites. More than a dozen civilians have reportedly been killed in these attacks. Iran has also halted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy chokepoint through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil is transported.

The Bahraini resolution, cosponsored by nearly 140 UN member states, passed through the UNSC with 13 votes in favor despite abstentions by Russia and China. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya called the resolution “extremely unbalanced,” blaming Israel and the United States as the “root causes” of the conflict.

Russia also proposed its own resolution, which merely urged “all parties to immediately stop their military activities and refrain from further escalation in the Middle East and beyond.” The resolution was vetoed by the United States, joined by Latvia voting against the resolution, while nine UNSC member states abstained, and four voted in favor. Latvia’s UN Ambassador Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes underscored Russia’s cynicism and hypocrisy in introducing such a resolution. With its ongoing war in Ukraine, Moscow “itself is violating daily, for years, the very principles it now calls upon others to respect,” the diplomat said.

Russia Has Long Served as Iran’s ‘Lawyer’ in International Bodies

Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far been muted in his criticism of the war. The Kremlin is treading carefully to avoid souring its relationship with President Donald Trump amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations over Ukraine, Putin’s top priority.

Still, that has not stopped Moscow from continuing its years-long role defending Tehran at the United Nations and other international institutions. In 2025, Russia opposed the snap back of UN sanctions against Iran at the UNSC after Iran failed to comply with its nonproliferation obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal and, on March 12, continued challenging the sanctions’ legality. During the 12-Day War in June 2025, Russia, joined by Pakistan and China, led an unsuccessful effort to condemn U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. On February 28, Russia requested a special session of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors, where Moscow condemned the U.S. and Israeli “aggression” against Iran.

Washington Must Not Reward Russia

Despite Moscow’s efforts to cozy up to Arab Gulf states, its actions at the UNSC provide further evidence that they cannot trust Russia, which reportedly has also provided Iran with targeting intelligence and advice on drone tactics. Nevertheless, the U.S. Treasury Department, in an effort to calm oil markets, has temporarily waived sanctions on Russian oil already loaded on tankers. If Treasury is planning to expand that waiver to cover all Russian oil — further padding the Kremlin’s budget — it will hardly make Moscow more willing to compromise in peace talks with Kyiv, or make any effort to check its friend Iran.

Dmitriy Shapiro is a research analyst and editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Dmitriy and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Dmitriy on X @dmitriyshapiro. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on foreign policy and national security.