Russia condemns US-Israeli strike near Orthodox church in Tehran

Russia on Friday denounced a US-Israeli military strike that caused significant damage to St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Tehran, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova urging the international community to take note of what she called a “flagrant violation” of religious rights. “We strongly condemn any damage to religious sites,” Zakharova said, adding that Moscow was shocked by the extent of material losses inflicted by the April 1 attack.

Historic church caught in crossfire

The damaged church, which is administered by the Russian Orthodox Church and included on Iran’s national list of cultural heritage sites, was designed by renowned Russian architect N. Markov and completed in 1945. Zakharova noted that the religious center has long served as a spiritual anchor for the Russian diaspora in Iran, providing “a place of strength and spiritual connection to their historical homeland.” She said the main strike hit the former US Embassy complex, located just meters from the church—the same compound seized by Iranian revolutionary youth in 1979.

Wider conflict and Türkiye’s position

The attack near the Orthodox church is the latest in a series of US-Israeli strikes that have escalated dramatically since the joint air offensive on Iran began on February 28. More than 1,340 people have been killed, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets. For Türkiye, which has its own historic Orthodox Christian heritage and maintains close ties with both Russia and Iran, the targeting of a religious site raises serious concerns about the protection of cultural and religious monuments during armed conflict. Ankara has repeatedly called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and safeguard religious sites regardless of affiliation.