MNA – Russia told the United States on Tuesday that it should drop what it called provocative plans to deploy more troops to the Middle East or risk war with Iran.

Following an announcement from Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan who said on Monday that Washington planned to send around 1,000 more troops to the Middle East for defensive purposes, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news agencies that the US should drop what it called provocative plans to deploy more troops to the Middle East or risk war with Iran.

On Thursday, two oil tankers suffered explosions and fires in the Sea of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. Following the attack, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hastily accused Iran of carrying out the attacks without providing any evidence to back up his accusation. In this regard, Iran has denied all the allegations of having a role in the incident.