Russia warned Israel and other nations not to attack Iran over its nuclear program, saying the use of force would be disastrous for the Middle East and have consequences far beyond the region, the Interfax news agency reported on Thursday.

“We warn those who are no strangers to military solutions … that this would be harmful, literally disastrous for regional stability and would set off deep shocks in the security and economic spheres that would reverberate far beyond the boundaries of the Middle East region,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Russia has long opposed a military solution for the Iranian nuclear conflict, while also strongly rejecting imposing harsh financial sanctions by the UN Security Council saying the measures punish banks, companies and shipping firms.

Russia says it supports the diplomatic efforts aimed at seeking an Iranian compromise concerning its nuclear aspirations.