President Trump’s drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani drew criticism from Russia and sparked a flurry of talks between Western powers and Moscow, which has partnered with Iran on key issues.

“Washington’s step is fraught with grave consequences for regional peace and stability,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “We are guided by the premise that such actions are not conducive to finding solutions to the complex problems that have piled up in the Middle East. On the contrary, they lead to a new round of escalation of tensions in the region.”