Russia and Iran on Sunday called for avoiding actions that could undermine the remaining chances for a political and diplomatic resolution to the Middle East crisis, according to Russia's Foreign Ministry.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi made the call during a phone conversation.
The two sides stressed the need to immediately halt what they described as "reckless and unlawful" attacks on civilian, industrial and energy infrastructure, including Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.
They also emphasized the "unacceptability" of threats to the lives and health of personnel at the facility, warning of the risk of a radioactive catastrophe across the region.
Lavrov expressed hope for de-escalation around Iran, saying this could be facilitated if the US abandons the "language of ultimatums" and returns to a negotiating track.
He also conveyed condolences over the death of a staff member at the Bushehr nuclear plant, which was struck on Saturday.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Araghchi "outlined the crimes committed" by the US and Israel over the past 37 days, including attacks on "industrial and production infrastructure, hospitals, schools, residential areas, as well as nuclear facilities."
He stressed the need for "urgent action by relevant international bodies, particularly the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency, to condemn these crimes and hold the aggressors accountable."
Araghchi called US threats to bomb Iran's energy facilities a "clear admission" of intent to commit a war crime, and called for a "responsible approach based on international law" by influential parties at the UN Security Council.
Lavrov, for his part, reiterated Russia's "principled position in condemning US and Israeli military aggression against Iran," stressing the need to halt "illegal attacks on civilian targets, particularly the Bushehr nuclear power plant," while calling for efforts to prevent further escalation, according to the statement.
Regional tensions have surged since the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, which has killed more than 1,340 people, including Iran's then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has since responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
