Russia failed to maintain Iran’s status – foreign relations expert

This was stated on Espreso TV by Serhiy Danylov, Deputy Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies.

"Everyone in our media space feared this war was helping Russia. I kept saying: if it’s helping them, why are they so angry?" he said.

According to the expert, Iran lost, but he isn’t sure who won.

"But it’s clear Iran lost, and so did Russia, in the Middle East. Iran lost the influence it once had — the authority, the threatening voice it used against its neighbors. Everyone compares this to how Russia failed to save Assad and couldn’t hold on to the power Iran once had. Couldn’t keep its status in this war. So yes, Russia lost," he concluded.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel and Iran had agreed to a full 12-hour ceasefire. According to him, it began the morning of June 24.

Background

On the night of June 13, Israel launched a large-scale operation against Iran, launching preemptive strikes on its nuclear and military facilities. Fox News reported that Israel managed to mislead Iran's air force leadership by convening a meeting before the June 13 strikes on the country's military and nuclear facilities. After the attack, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Tehran to strike a deal “before it's too late,” calling the Israeli strikes very successful.

Later, Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would consider a strike on the underground nuclear facility in Fordow, Iran, if it became necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. At the same time, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran does not seek to expand the conflict with Israel to neighboring countries, but is ready to take self-defense measures if necessary.

On June 18, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened that a possible U.S. military intervention in the conflict with Israel would have serious irreparable consequences. On the same day, while talking to journalists, Donald Trump evaded a direct answer to a question about a possible U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

On June 19, it was reported that senior U.S. officials were preparing for a possible strike on Iran in the coming days, according to Bloomberg.

U.S. strikes on Iran

On June 20, Donald Trump gave Iran’s ruling elite "two weeks" to abandon its nuclear program. Until then, the U.S. reportedly would not enter into war against the Islamic Republic of Iran on Israel’s side.

On the night of June 22, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced airstrikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran. According to him, the American military hit sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated that the country had witnessed a "betrayal of diplomacy" by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. He assured that Tehran would exercise its right to self-defense.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that the U.S. is at war with Iran’s nuclear program, which has now been "significantly pushed back."

Later, Donald Trump commented on the potential for regime change in Iran, saying that if the regime cannot "make the country great," then change is necessary.