Without a hint of irony, Russia mocks US for 'miscalculating' Iran war
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on March 16 that the United States and Israel had misjudged the prospects of a swift military operation in Iran, arguing that Washington and Jerusalem now understand they were "mistaken."
Lavrov's remarks come as Russia continues to defend Tehran — one of its closest partners since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine — while criticizing Western military actions.
"If they thought they could subjugate (Iran) in a day or a few hours, they probably realize now just how seriously they miscalculated, how wrong they were," Lavrov said of the U.S.-Israeli campaign.
The comments drew attention to Russia's own early miscalculations in Ukraine.
Russian officials, propagandists, and some Western intelligence assessments initially predicted that Ukraine could fall within days or weeks, with Kyiv's capture seen as the likely primary objective.
Russian propagandist Margarita Simonyan famously said in 2021, "In a war, we'll defeat Ukraine in two days," a claim that has since come to symbolize Moscow's miscalculations.
In February 2026, Moscow's war entered its fifth year without a visible path to victory.
Russia has portrayed the U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran as an unprovoked act of aggression. Its Foreign Ministry condemned the operation even as Russia continues its own war against Ukraine.
Lavrov also claimed that military actions against Iran could not go unanswered.
The Iranian government has long been described by Washington's officials as a leading state sponsor of terrorism, accused of funding and arming militant groups across the Middle East.
Iran has also been one of Russia's closest partners since the start of the full-scale war. Tehran supplied Moscow with Shahed-type attack drones, which Russia later adapted into its own Geran-series drones for repeated strikes on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
During the Iran conflict, U.S. officials have alleged that Russia provided Tehran with intelligence on American military positions in the region, including ships and aircraft.
