Russia Warns Escalating Conflict in the Middle East Threatens Global Economy

Dmitry Peskov. (Sergey Fadeichev/TASS)

Russia warned on Thursday that renewed tensions in the Middle East over the latest US-Iran attacks threatened the global economy as a whole, reiterating calls for a return to negotiations.

"This new round of escalating tensions is fraught with new and additional negative consequences for the situation in the region and the international economy as a whole," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a news conference, Anadolu (11/6) reported.

Urging all parties to refrain, Peskov called for a return to talks.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said it was "deeply concerned" about the escalating tensions, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and immediately stop the attacks.

The exchange of attacks between the US and Iran continued for the second consecutive day, with US President Donald Trump warning Washington that it would launch additional attacks unless Tehran immediately accepted a peace deal.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command (US CENTCOM) in a statement said American forces attacked several military targets in Iran from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, describing the attack as a "defensive" action after the fall of a US helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump previously said Iran had negotiated for too long to reach an agreement, and had to pay the price.

Talks since an April ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, have focused on a permanent end to the war that began on February 28, opening the Strait of Hormuz blockade, the closure of which has strangled oil and gas exports, and reaching a consensus on the status of Iran's nuclear program.