(MOSCOW) – Russian political commentators and analysts have discussed the conflict involving Iran and the United States during a broadcast on the Russian television programme “One’s Own Truth”, hosted by Roman Babayan.
The programme featured writer Nikolai Starikov, military analyst Andrey Klintsevich, political scientist Sergey Stankevich and orientalist Karine Gevorgyan. The panel examined the first week of fighting in the Middle East and debated the role of the United States, Iran and Russia.
Participants said the conflict had entered its seventh day and questioned which side was gaining an advantage. Some speakers asked whether the confrontation should be seen as a conflict between the United States and Iran and whether the actions of US President Donald Trump represented strategic calculation or political misjudgement.
Panel members noted that Trump had previously promised not to begin new wars. They argued that this raised questions about future negotiations with Ukraine and how Washington’s actions in the Middle East might influence diplomacy elsewhere.
The programme’s host said it remained unclear who was prevailing after a week of hostilities. Commentators claimed Iran appeared to be resisting attacks and continuing military operations.
Discussion also focused on statements attributed to Trump regarding possible negotiations with Iran. Panel members said Iranian officials had repeatedly denied requesting talks and questioned the accuracy of claims about diplomatic contacts.
Analysts discussed US military objectives and suggested that Washington’s strategic goals were not clearly defined. One commentator compared the situation to disturbing a beehive, suggesting that military pressure could provoke a broader response.
The panel also criticised what it described as a decline in the substance of political statements coming from Washington. Speakers referred to reports about religious leaders praying with Trump in the Oval Office and comments by a US general describing the conflict in terms of a crusade.
According to the analysts, the level of resistance from Iran appeared to surprise US officials. They referred to reports that the US Department of Defence had requested additional funding and intelligence resources to support operations in the region.
Klintsevich suggested that Washington might be considering a secondary strategy involving ground operations. He argued that many Iranian military assets, including Russian supplied S 300 air defence systems and Su 35 aircraft, could be protected in underground facilities.
He said Iran had built extensive tunnel networks in mountainous areas, which he claimed would be difficult to destroy through air strikes alone. The analysts also referred to video footage showing drone launchers positioned near fortified tunnel entrances.
According to the discussion, Iran continues to produce and deploy unmanned aerial vehicles. Commentators argued that the country has access to supply routes and international partners, including China, and is not fully isolated.
Speakers noted that Iran’s territory consists largely of mountainous terrain and is significantly larger than Afghanistan. They suggested that these geographic factors would complicate any ground offensive.
One participant said that limited ground operations may already have occurred but argued that a large scale invasion would require very large troop numbers.
Several commentators concluded that Washington did not appear to have a clear long term plan. One speaker predicted that the conflict could weaken Trump politically.
The programme also discussed reports published by the Washington Post suggesting that Russia may be providing intelligence to Iran regarding attacks on US military bases. Participants said such cooperation would not be unexpected.
According to the panel, Iranian strikes have appeared more accurate in recent operations. At the same time, some speakers argued that Iran’s missile stockpile could gradually decline as the conflict continues.
Others said Iran might increasingly rely on drones rather than missiles. They argued that drones could be used to force the use of air defence interceptors such as Patriot missiles before further missile strikes.
The programme also referenced an interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. When asked whether Russia and China were assisting Iran, he said they support Iran politically and in other ways.
Araghchi said military cooperation between Iran and Russia was not a secret and had existed in the past. He added that cooperation continued and was likely to continue in the future.
The broadcast concluded with results from an online poll conducted by the Russian television channel NTV. The survey asked viewers how negotiations with the United States should proceed.
According to the poll, 51% of respondents said talks should not take place, arguing that the United States speaks of peace one day and war the next. 45% said negotiations should wait until Russia reaches Kyiv, while 4% supported continuing negotiations and suggested Trump could pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russian TV show “One’s Own Truth,” featuring host Roman Babayan, writer Nikolai Starikov, military expert Andrey Klintsevich, political scientist Sergey Stankevich, and orientalist Karine Gevorgyan.
