Putin warns against 'catastrophic' attack on Iran

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia is concerned about the "growing threat" of an attack on Iran over its nuclear program, warning that the consequences would be "truly catastrophic."In an article on foreign policy for publication on Monday, six days before a March 4 presidential election he is almost certain to win, Putin also warned Western and Arab nations against military intervention in Syria."I very much hope the United States and other countries... do not try to set a military scenario in motion in Syria without sanction from the UN Security Council," Putin said, according to a transcript.Russia has been a staunch ally of Syria's during an violent conflict fought between the Syrian army and anti-government opposition groups, some of which have become increasingly militant. Russia, along with China, exercised its veto power at the United Nations Security Council on an Arab League-backed resolution that would have called on Syrian President Bashar Assad to quit. On Iran, Putin said that "the growing threat of a military strike on this country alarms Russia, no doubt. If this occurs, the consequences will be truly catastrophic. It is impossible to imagine their real scale."Jpost.com staff contributed to this report