Iran urges political solution to Russia-Ukraine conflict, blames NATO

Iran calls for a “political and democratic” solution after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in a crisis the Islamic Republic accused NATO of provoking.

“We don’t believe that resorting to war is a solution,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian tweets.

It was “imperative to establish (a) ceasefire” and “find a political and democratic resolution,” he adds.

His post comes after Russia hit military facilities across Ukraine with airstrikes before sending in ground forces.

Amir-Abdollahian reiterates an assertion by Iran that NATO and the United States are to blame for the escalation.

“The Ukraine crisis is rooted in NATO’s provocations,” he adds.

The foreign ministry says Iran is working to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine, which closed its airspace early today.

“We are in contact with both sides and we emphasized that the security of our compatriots is a priority for us,” its spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh tells state TV.

About 4,000 Iranians live in Ukraine, according to the latest foreign ministry figures.

The Iranian embassy in Kyiv has asked all Iranians in the country to leave in “any way possible.”

“If the conditions for leaving Ukraine are not met, we urge people to settle in safe havens and shelters provided by city and provincial authorities,” it says in a statement.