Iran Press/ Iran news: On Wednesday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially announced a special military operation against Ukraine.
Putin says he had no other choice than to launch the military operation to stop the Ukrainian military’s interference in two eastern republics that have broken away from Ukraine. Russia perceives NATO’s eastward expansion as a threat.
In a tweet on Thursday night, Iran's Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi wrote: "As soon as possible, action will be taken to maintain the security of our dear compatriots living in Ukraine and to transport them to Iran through the air."
Ghasemi said that in this regard, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consultations would be carried out with the Ukrainian and Russian authorities.
The director of Iran Air's public relations said the company was awaiting permission to maintain flights to Ukraine for returning the Iranian nationals to their homeland.
Russia says its operation in Ukraine is not the beginning of an invasion but an attempt to prevent a third world war.
Criticizing the West for not recognizing Moscow's security concerns, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 21 that his country had recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's republics, having signed cooperation and friendship agreements with their leaders at the Kremlin.
The US and Europe began to exert diplomatic and economic pressures on Russia.
Yet, the US and NATO have refused to dispatch forces to help Ukraine.
Ukraine knew itself as an ally of the US.
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