Russia supports Pakistan’s mediatory role in Iran-US conflict, says Ambassador Albert P Khorev

Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev on Tuesday has expressed support for Pakistan’s mediatory role during the Iran-US conflict.

The Russian envoy said that Russia would also support other efforts aimed at the peaceful resolution of the conflict that could address the concerns of both Washington and Tehran.

During a press conference held at the Russian Embassy on Tuesday, Ambassador Albert P. Khorev said that Russia supports Pakistan’s mediatory role in the Iran-US dispute. He noted that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had also recently reiterated support for Pakistan’s role as a mediator.

He added that Russia supports all initiatives that could contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict while addressing the concerns of both sides.

The Russian Ambassador also thanked Pakistan for supporting the 2005 United Nations resolution against “Nazism, Neo-Nazism, and the promotion of racism,” which was backed by 119 countries including Pakistan.

Ambassador Khorev complained that unfortunately Pakistani media extensively discusses the human and infrastructure losses in Ukraine, while similar Russian losses receive very limited coverage.

He asserted that Russia would eventually achieve its objectives in the Ukraine war and that Russia is prepared for all possible situations.

The Ambassador stated that for Russia, Victory Day on May 9 is the country’s most sacred national occasion because Soviet people played a decisive role in defeating Nazi Germany during World War II.

However, he expressed concern over the desecration, vandalism, and demolition of monuments and memorials dedicated to those who fought against Nazism in various countries.

Speaking about the Ukraine war, Albert P. Khorev said that Russia had announced and observed a ceasefire from May 8 to 11 on the occasion of Victory Day. However, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian forces committed more than 30,000 violations during the three-day ceasefire.

He alleged that Ukrainian President Zelensky wants the war to continue instead of pursuing peace.

According to the Ukrainian Ombudsman’s 2025 report, more than 6,000 complaints were registered against forced recruitment in the Ukrainian military.

The Ambassador further claimed that foreign fighters from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, and other NATO countries are fighting alongside Ukraine.

He said that European countries continue to support Ukraine in an attempt to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia.

The Russian Ambassador also expressed strong reservations over the transfer of the historical artifacts known as “Scythian Gold” to Kyiv instead of Crimea and demanded that all historical artifacts discovered in Crimea should be returned there.

Responding to a question, the Ambassador said that reports in Pakistani media regarding recruitment for the Russian army in Pakistan could not be confirmed. He stated that the reports contained contradictions, and the individual allegedly recruited had never even applied for a visa at the Russian Embassy.

He added that Pakistani authorities are investigating the matter and expressed hope that the findings would soon be made public.

(Anwer Abbas is a Foreign Office and Diplomatic Activities Correspondent for 24 News, Islamabad.)