Russia has warned that a war between the US and Iran would be a “catastrophe” amid increased tensions in recent days. During his annual phone-in event, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was concerned by the shooting down of an American drone by Iran, adding he “worried” the US had not ruled out using military force against Iran in the ongoing crisis. The Russian President said: “I will say it straight, it would be a catastrophe, at a minimum for the region.”

He added he also believed Tehran was still complying with its commitments under the Iran nuclear deal agreed under the Obama-era.

The comments came as Mr Putin answered a flurry of questions during the annual “Direct Line” show, where he speaks to and answers questions from ordinary people.

But despite Mr Putin’s warning of catastrophe should the US and Iran choose to go to war, Iranian officials told Reuters on Friday that Tehran had received a message from US President Donald Trump warning that an American attack on Iran was imminent.

One of the officials said: “In his message, Trump said he was against any war with Iran and wanted to talk to Tehran about various issues … he gave a short period of time to get our response but Iran’s immediate response was that it is up to Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei to decide about this issue.”

Another official said: “We made it clear that the leader is against any talks, but the message will be conveyed to him to make a decision…

“However, we told the Omani official that any attack against Iran will have regional and international consequences.”

Tensions between the two nations rose this week amid American officials claiming a US military drone had been shot down by an Iranian missile.

The drone was reportedly shot down while in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

However, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said it shot down the drone over Iranian airspace, near Kuhmobarak in the province of Hormozgan.

IRGC commander Maj-Gen Hossein Salami said the incident sent “a clear message to America”.

The general said: ”The downing of the American drone was a clear message to America … our borders are Iran’s red line and we will react strongly against any aggression.

“Iran is not seeking war with any country, but we are fully prepared to defend Iran.”

The New York Times quoted on Friday a senior US administration official as saying American warplanes took to the air and ships were put in position for a retaliatory attack only for an order to come to stand down, without any weapons being fired.

Targets had included Iranian radar and missile batteries, the paper cited senior administration officials as saying.

It was unclear if attacks on Iran might go ahead later, the New York Times said, and not known whether Mr Trump had changed his mind or whether his administration had become concerned about logistics or strategy.

This comes following a spate of attack on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier this month.

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