Russia senses US wants Iran conflict - RIA

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has the impression that the United States is looking for a pretext for conflict in the Persian Gulf, the RIA news agency reports.

"Events there are really moving to a dangerous point and there are risks of a large-scale military clash," RIA cited foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on Thursday.

"In principle we have the sense that Washington is simply looking for a pretext to whip up the situation, continue its aggressive rhetoric towards Iran, and to shift to a hotter more active phase of the conflict."

Zakharova told the same news briefing that a US move to create a naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz looked like a crude attempt to pressure Iran.