MOSCOW, June 16 (Reuters/AFP): Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Monday for an "immediate" end to fighting between Israel and Iran in a phone conversation, the Kremlin said.
"The leaders called for an immediate end to hostilities and the settlement of contentious issues, including those related to Iran's nuclear programme, exclusively through political and diplomatic means," the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.
Erdogan accused Israel of threatening security in the Middle East, which he said cannot tolerate another war, in a phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday, his office said.
Erdogan was quoted saying: "The spiral of violence that began with Israel's attacks on Iran has put the security of the entire region at risk, (and) that the lawless attitude of the (Israeli premier Benjamin) Netanyahu government poses a clear threat to the international system, and that the region cannot tolerate a new war."
Iran urges European powers
to stop Israeli 'aggression'
Iran on Monday urged Britain, France and Germany to pressure Israel to stop its deadly attacks on Iran as fighting raged between the two foes for a fourth day.
"Germany, France and England should have very clearly condemned the Zionist regime's crimes, especially against the Natanz nuclear facility," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, adding that European powers should focus on "stopping the aggression" and holding Israel "accountable".
Iran accuses Israel of
targeting hospital
Iran on Monday accused Israel of targeting a hospital in the country's west, condemning it as a "war crime".
"Farabi Hospital in the city of Kermanshah in western Iran was targeted by the Israeli regime's aggressive attacks," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, adding that "attacking hospitals alongside attacks on residential areas is a gross violation of international law and a war crime".
A previous media report said a workshop near the hospital was the target of the Israeli attack.
Israeli military warns residents in
part of Tehran's to evacuate
The Israeli military has warned residents of part of Iran's capital to evacuate ahead of Israeli strikes.
Israel said Monday it planned to strike military sites in the city. The Israeli military has issued similar evacuation warnings for civilians in parts of Gaza and Lebanon ahead of strikes.
Iran, meanwhile, announced it had launched some 100 missiles and vowed further retaliation for sweeping attacks on its military and nuclear infrastructure that have killed at least 224 people in the country since Friday.
One missile fell near the American consulate in Tel Aviv, with its blast waves causing minor damage, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said on X. He added that no American personnel were injured.
The latest conflict began when Israel launched an assault on Iran's top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists that it said was necessary to prevent its longtime adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed that Tehran has not pursued a nuclear weapon since 2003. But the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that the country has enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs if it chooses to do so.
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