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Russia's Security Council cautioned Monday that ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran could be serving as cover for preparations for a ground military operation against Iran, citing a significant buildup of American forces across the Middle East.
"The United States and Israel can use the peace talks to prepare for a ground operation against Iran," the Security Council said in a statement, as the Pentagon continues to expand its military presence in the region.
According to figures cited by the Security Council and attributed to the US Army's Joint Central Command, more than 50,000 American troops are currently deployed in the region. The force includes 2,500 marines from the 11th Expeditionary Corps, over 1,200 soldiers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division, Delta special forces, and the 75th Ranger Regiment, one of the Army's most storied special operations units.
The Russian body also noted the presence of roughly 500 US Air Force aircraft stationed at Middle Eastern airfields, among them more than 250 tactical aircraft, alongside over 20 US Navy vessels.
The buildup extends beyond forces already in place. An amphibious assault group led by the USS Boxer, carrying 2,500 marines, and an aircraft carrier strike group led by the nuclear-powered USS George H.W. Bush are both described as moving into the conflict zone. The Security Council noted that their expected arrival in the Arabian Sea coincides with the expiration of a two-week truce, raising concerns about the timing.
President Donald Trump, the statement noted, has said these forces will remain positioned "near Iran" until Tehran meets conditions set by Washington , a stance that has deepened concerns in Moscow about the trajectory of the standoff.
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Beyond the troop and hardware figures, Russia's Security Council said it expects "active actions by the coalition forces to replenish strike and anti-missile weapons," as well as heightened intelligence operations in the coming period.
The warning reflects long-standing Russian unease over Western and Israeli military posture toward Iran, a country with which Moscow has maintained close strategic and economic ties. Russia has consistently opposed military action against Tehran and backed diplomatic engagement as the preferred path to resolving disputes over Iran's nuclear program.
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