Iran accused NATO of starting the war in Ukraine. UA Foreign Ministry is concerned about the change in Tehran's rhetoric

During the negotiations with Putin, the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that Russia allegedly stopped NATO's actions in Ukraine with invasion and that the Alliance would start the war first. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called such a statement a justification for Russian aggression.

The Supreme Leader of Iran supported the Kremlin's rhetoric and declared that if the Russian Federation had not launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, then NATO would have allegedly attacked Russia.

"If the way is opened for NATO, it will recognize no limits. If it hadn't been stopped in Ukraine, it would have later started a similar war in Crimea." he said.

Since Russia launched the full-scale Russian against Ukraine, Iran had publicly declared its position of neutrality and advocated a ceasefire and political-diplomatic resolutions. The Ukrainian side is now concerned about the change in Tehran's rhetoric, the spokesman of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleh Nikolenko, said.

"Tolerating Russia's aggressive actions not only encourages it to continue its unprovoked war against the people of Ukraine but also lays the groundwork for destabilizing peace and security in other regions of the world," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Ukraine calls any accusations regarding the alleged preparation of an attack on the Russian Federation baseless and manipulative and also called on the Iranian side to refrain from statements or steps that would fuel Russia's aggression against Ukraine.