MOSCOW - Russia strongly condemns the strikes launched by the United States against a number of nuclear facilities in Iran, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

It stated that the irresponsible decision to carry out missile and bomb strikes against the territory of a sovereign state -- no matter what arguments are invoked -- grossly violates international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions.

It is particularly concerning that the strikes were carried out by a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the statement said.

"It is already obvious that a dangerous escalation has begun, threatening to further undermine regional and global security," said the statement, adding that the risk of conflict expansion in the Middle East, already engulfed by multiple crises, has significantly increased.

It noted that the attacks on Iran have caused enormous damage to the credibility of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verification and monitoring system based on it.

Russia expects the IAEA to respond promptly, without resorting to empty rhetoric or hiding behind political "neutrality".

The ministry called on the UN Security Council to take action and said US and Israeli confrontation must be collectively rejected.

"We call for an end to aggression and urge efforts that will create conditions for a return to a political and diplomatic path," the statement said.