ISTANBUL

Russia on Tuesday slammed US President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Iran and impose secondary tariffs if it fails to reach an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

“Threats are indeed heard; ultimatums are also heard. We consider such methods inappropriate; we condemn them, we consider this a way to impose our own will on the Iranian side,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with the Russian journal International Affairs, excerpts of which were published on Tuesday.

Ryabkov argued that such actions could complicate the situation and lead to consequences that would require “many times greater efforts in the future in terms of leveling the danger of the emergence of yet another hotbed of tension and, God forbid, a conflict, an open conflict in the Middle East, where it is already quite high.”

Expressing that Russia offers an “alternative path,” Ryabkov further said that Moscow is against strikes and aggression.

"The consequences of this, especially if the strikes are on nuclear infrastructure, could be catastrophic for the entire region,” Ryabkov stressed, indicating that they need to strengthen efforts to reach an agreement while the "train has not left the station."

“Russia is ready to offer its good services to Washington, Tehran, and everyone who is interested in this,” he added.

On Sunday, Trump threatened Iran with unprecedented bombing if it did not agree to engage with Washington in negotiations over its nuclear program, marking the most explicit warning of military action since he assumed office in January.

"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before," Trump said during an interview with NBC News.

In his first response to Trump, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any “external aggression” would be met with “firm retaliation.”