Minsk, March 4, 2026 – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday expressed deep condolences over the deaths of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and numerous civilians, including children, killed in the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. During a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Minsk with Iranian Ambassador to Belarus Alireza Sanei, Lukashenko described the late supreme leader as a “humanist” and voiced alarm over the risk of a wider regional war engulfing Gulf states.
According to an official statement released by the Belarusian presidency, Lukashenko highlighted his long-standing personal rapport with Khamenei. “I had a good relationship with him,” the president said. “He was a humanist, not a military man, focused on protecting his people and his state.” Lukashenko emphasized that the supreme leader’s death represented a profound loss not only for Iran but for those who valued principled leadership in defense of national sovereignty.
The Belarusian leader sharply criticized the US-Israeli operation, which began on Saturday, February 28, 2026, labeling it “treacherous.” He condemned the reported civilian casualties, stating that the deaths of “innocent civilians, especially children” were “unacceptable” and constituted a grave humanitarian violation. Lukashenko expressed particular concern about the broader implications of the conflict, warning that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries could be drawn into active participation.
“I’m alarmed by the fact that the Gulf states could be drawn into this war and become participants in this savage conflict. I fear that’s exactly what will happen,” he said. He urged the international community—particularly major powers, Israel, and the United States—to recognize the danger of escalation leading to “unpredictable events” with potentially catastrophic global consequences.
The US-Israeli strikes have targeted a wide range of Iranian military, missile production, nuclear-related, and leadership facilities, resulting in nearly 800 deaths according to Iranian authorities. Among the confirmed casualties is Supreme Leader Khamenei, whose killing was announced by Iranian state media on Sunday. Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and other high-ranking officials have also been reported killed in the campaign, which U.S. and Israeli officials have described as a necessary preemptive action to neutralize Iran’s nuclear breakout potential and ballistic missile threats.
In retaliation, Iran has launched multiple salvos of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones targeting Israeli military sites, airfields, and intelligence infrastructure. Additional strikes have hit U.S. military bases and allied facilities in Gulf states, including a particularly deadly attack on a tactical operations center in Kuwait that killed six U.S. service members and wounded several others, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The strikes on U.S. assets in Kuwait, Qatar (Al Udeid Air Base), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have intensified fears of direct confrontation between Iran and American forces in the region.
Lukashenko’s remarks align with Belarus’s longstanding foreign policy of opposition to unilateral military interventions and support for sovereign states facing what Minsk views as Western aggression. Belarus has maintained close political, economic, and military ties with Iran, including cooperation in defense technology, energy, and trade. The two countries have coordinated positions in international forums, often criticizing U.S.-led sanctions and military actions.
The Belarusian president’s warning about Gulf state involvement reflects growing anxiety that the conflict could spiral beyond Iran and Israel. Iran’s missile barrages have already caused limited but confirmed damage in GCC countries hosting U.S. forces, prompting emergency security measures, airspace closures, and diplomatic protests. Analysts note that any further escalation involving Gulf monarchies—whether through direct Iranian attacks or defensive actions alongside the U.S.—could disrupt global energy supplies, given the region’s critical role in oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point of concern, with Iran effectively halting most commercial tanker traffic through threats and heightened military presence. QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on LNG exports following Iranian drone strikes on production facilities, removing a substantial portion of global supply and driving sharp increases in energy prices worldwide.
Lukashenko’s call for restraint echoes positions taken by Russia, China, and several non-aligned nations urging an immediate ceasefire and return to diplomacy. However, with both sides continuing military operations and no visible breakthrough in back-channel talks, the risk of a broader regional conflagration persists.
The meeting with Ambassador Sanei underscores Belarus’s solidarity with Iran at a moment of acute crisis. Minsk has previously offered humanitarian and political support to Tehran amid Western pressure, and Lukashenko’s public condemnation adds another voice to the international chorus criticizing the US-Israeli campaign.
As the conflict enters its sixth day, civilian casualties continue to mount, infrastructure damage spreads, and global markets reel from energy supply fears. The Belarusian president’s words serve as a stark reminder of the high stakes involved and the potential for unintended consequences should major powers fail to de-escalate.
