Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S.–Israeli attack on Iran could encourage more countries to seek nuclear weapons, arguing that governments may conclude they are the only reliable guarantee of sovereignty.

In a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manila yesterday, Lavrov said there may be movement “toward the idea that only nuclear weapons can, to the extent possible, guarantee freedom and independence will grow.”

The Russian diplomat argued that armament may increasingly be seen as necessary because of the “aggressive actions that the U.S. and a number of allies” are taking in global politics to preserve their dominance.

As a result of the U.S.–Israeli aggression against Iran, many countries will feel a stronger need to possess nuclear weapons for self-defense, according to Russian state-owned news agency TASS.

The remarks reinforce Russia’s longstanding claim that U.S. military actions are undermining the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.