Russia: Any US Attack on Iran Would Have Catastrophic Regional Consequences

By Staff, Agencies

Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the United States that any military attack on Iran’s nuclear sites would have “catastrophic” consequences for the entire region.

Ryabkov made the remarks during an interview with the International Affairs journal on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if it fails to come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

“Threats are indeed being heard, ultimatums are also being heard,” Ryabkov said, noting that “The consequences of this, especially if the strikes are on nuclear infrastructure, could be catastrophic for the entire region.”

He said Trump’s latest comments will only increase tensions and “complicate the situation” regarding Iran.

“We consider such methods inappropriate; we condemn them. We consider them a way for (the US) to impose its own will on the Iranian side,” he added.

This comes as Iran underlined US President Donald Trump’s open threat of “bombing” the country is an affront to global peace and security.

Ryabkov further called for intensified efforts to reach a reasonable agreement “while there is still time and the train has not left”, saying, "Russia is ready to offer its services to Washington, Tehran and all parties interested in resolving this issue."

On Saturday, Trump said that Iran would be bombed if it did not make a new deal with the United States. He also threatened to punish Iran with what he called “secondary tariffs.”

Iran has strongly condemned Trump's threats against the country, describing them as a flagrant violation of international law and principles of the UN Charter.

On March 7, Trump announced he had written to Iran to call for nuclear negotiations and threaten military action. The letter was delivered to Tehran on March 12 by UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash.