Mumbai, March 24 -- Iran's Consul General in Mumbai, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, said that Iran has consistently advocated dialogue and diplomacy to resolve tensions in West Asia, while blaming recent escalations on attacks by the United States and Israel to what he referred to as the "Zionist regime."

Speaking to ANI, on the ongoing conflict, Motlagh said the situation escalated after Iran was attacked, adding that Tehran's response was carried out in self-defence.

"If peace were to prevail in the region, the United States and the Zionist regime should not have attacked us," he said. "Clearly, they escalated the situation, and we responded accordingly. Therefore, they are responsible for increasing tensions and intensifying the conflic...