Smoke and flames filled the sky over Tehran as Israel struck oil and gas facilities in the Iranian capital and targeted more nuclear facilities during attacks that carried on into Sunday after starting two days earlier.

Russia has maintained a delicate balancing act in the Middle East for decades, trying to navigate its warm relations with Israel even as it has developed strong economic and military ties with Iran.

Araqchi said Tehran had been responding to foreign aggression, and that if this aggression stopped, Iranian reactions would also cease.