Russia tells Israel to not even consider attacking Iranian nuclear facilities, TASS says

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is warning Israel to not even consider striking Iranian nuclear facilities, state news agency TASS quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Thursday.

After Iran's missile attack on Israel on Oct. 1, there has been speculation that Israel could strike Iran's nuclear facilities, as it has long threatened to do.

"We have repeatedly warned and continue to warn, to caution (Israel) against even hypothetically considering the possibility of a strike on (Iranian) nuclear facilities and nuclear infrastructure," Ryabkov was quoted by TASS as saying.

"This would be a catastrophic development and a complete negation of all existing principles in the area of ​​ensuring nuclear safety."

It was not clear in what form Moscow had conveyed such a message to Israel.

Israel and Western countries have long feared that Iran is developing a nuclear bomb under the cover of a civilian nuclear energy programme, something Tehran denies.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Tuesday that Israel would listen to the United States, which has also cautioned against striking nuclear facilities in Iran, but would determine its actions according to its own national interest.

The statement was attached to a Washington Post article which said Netanyahu had told President Joe Biden's administration that Israel would strike Iranian military targets, not nuclear or oil targets.

Russian state media also quoted Ryabkov as saying that Moscow was in constant contact with Iran, irrespective of the level of tensions in the region.

Russia has strengthened ties with the Islamic Republic since the start of its war in Ukraine and is preparing to sign a major partnership agreement with Tehran.

(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Maxim Rodionov and Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Andrew Osborn)