Russia on Thursday accused Washington and its allies of acting as "hostile external forces," seeking to exploit Iran's nationwide unrest to undermine and overthrow the government.
It warned that the US is fueling instability to advance its own political agenda.
"We see that hostile external forces are attempting to exploit the current situation in order to overthrow a government they find objectionable and destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran as a sovereign and independent state," Russia's UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia said at an emergency session of the Security Council on Iran.
Criticizing the briefers invited to the session by the US mission, Nebenzia said the "so-called briefers cannot speak on behalf of the Iranian people."
"We firmly reject any attempts by the US to waste the Council members' valuable time on briefings that are meant only to serve the interests and the position of those who convened this meeting and briefings that are in no way related to issues of international peace and security," he said, calling the remarks by thr briefers "nothing more than a circus, an embarrassment, a cheap show that is unbefitting of members of the Council."
While stressing sympathy for those affected by the unrest, Nebenzia warned that the protests were being deliberately manipulated from abroad.
"What is happening in Iran is yet another example of the use of tried and tested methods for a color revolution in which specially trained, armed provocateurs transform peaceful protests into senseless violence, riots, destruction of public property and brutal killings of police officers, state security personnel and peaceful protesters, including children," he said.
Accusing Washington of openly encouraging the actions, Nebenzia said, "In the present situation, these external forces are not even bothering to conceal their involvement in violent actions, especially given that the President of the US (Donald Trump) has openly called on protesters to take over Iranian state institutions."
"The US and its cheerleaders are actively exploiting the economic and social difficulties faced by ordinary Iranians, difficulties caused by unlawful sanctions and pressure imposed on Iran by Western states," he added.
Warning that Washington's approach carried serious risks, Nebenzia said, "What is most concerning is Washington's aggressive course towards the use of military force and threats of its use against Iran," condemning the actions as violations of international law.
"We strongly urge the hotheads in Washington and other capitals who seem to be contemplating a repeat military venture to come to their senses and avoid a repetition of the tragedy of June 2025, when US-Israeli aggression nearly resulted in a major nuclear catastrophe with inevitable humanitarian and environmental consequences," he said.
Nebenzia demanded that the US and "its like-minded partners refrain from further reckless steps, including those involving nuclear facilities."
