Moscow, March 16 (NationPress) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Monday that both the United States and Israel might have overestimated the likelihood of a swift military operation against Iran.

Lavrov explained that the conflict emerged during discussions concerning Iran's nuclear program. If the strategists anticipated they could "completely dominate" Iran within a day or even mere hours, they are likely to recognize the error in that belief, as he mentioned during a press conference.

Reiterating Russia's demand for an immediate halt to hostilities, Lavrov called on all involved parties to resume negotiations and refrain from actions that could harm civilian infrastructure and result in civilian casualties.

He also expressed Russia's willingness to serve as a mediator in the political dialogue if required.

Additionally, Lavrov highlighted concerns regarding the future of the nuclear non-proliferation framework amidst rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

During his address at the Moscow Nonproliferation Conference, he noted that the recent military actions by the United States and Israel targeting Iranian facilities, which are under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, have significantly undermined the credibility of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Such military interventions have diminished the trust in diplomacy as a means of conflict resolution, Lavrov stated, suggesting that some nations may increasingly consider nuclear weapons as a security guarantee.

He emphasized the necessity of maintaining the treaty as a fundamental component of global strategic stability and urged all signatories, especially those with nuclear capabilities, to adhere to their commitments.

Furthermore, Lavrov pointed out that the militarization of outer space is becoming a greater risk due to "destructive actions by the United States and its allies," as reported by Xinhua news agency.

He remarked that the implementation of the US "Golden Dome" missile defense system, which plans to deploy space-based interceptor strike systems by 2028, poses a serious threat to strategic stability.

Last week, a US news outlet revealed that President Donald Trump has declined a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to transfer Iran's enriched uranium to Russia as part of a deal aimed at resolving the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

According to sources, Trump rejected Putin's suggestion during a phone conversation earlier this week, as reported by Axios, an American news site based in Arlington, Virginia.

During the discussion on March 9, Putin presented various ideas, including the uranium transfer proposal, to end the conflict, the report stated.

"This is not the first time it was proposed. It hasn't been accepted. The US stance is that we need to ensure the uranium is secured," a US official was quoted as saying.

It remains uncertain whether Iran would now agree to the proposal. In the final discussions before the outbreak of war, Iran rejected the transfer idea and suggested diluting the uranium within its own facilities under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency, according to the report.

Additionally, some news outlets have reported that the Trump administration is contemplating dispatching special operations forces to Iran to secure or seize the country’s highly enriched uranium.