MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expressed hope on Sunday that efforts to de-escalate the Iran conflict would bear fruit and said the US would contribute by "abandoning the language of ultimatums and returning the situation to a negotiating track."
The Russian Foreign Ministry statement was issued after a conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
It said both sides "called for efforts to avoid actions, including in the UN Security Council, that could undermine the remaining chances for advancing political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis."
Russia, it said, backed efforts to de-escalate tensions "in the interests of long-term and sustainable normalisation of the situation in the Middle East, which would be facilitated by the United States abandoning the language of ultimatums and returning the situation to a negotiating track."
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Earlier, US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying Tuesday would mark a day of attacks targeting power plants and bridges across the country.
In a statement posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump warned Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or “face a hell-like situation.”
He claimed that coordinated strikes on key infrastructure in Iran would be carried out simultaneously.
The remarks follow an earlier statement in which Trump said Iran had just 48 hours left to reach a deal, warning of severe consequences if no agreement is made.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran in recent days.