UNITED NATIONS (AP) —

Russia's U.N. ambassador says "Iran is ready for a dialogue," but the United States and other Security Council members appear to be more interested in further escalating what he calls "anti-Iran hysteria and to demonize Iran."

Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council Wednesday that this "just exacerbates an already difficult situation in the Middle East."

He said that "to lower the crisis, what we need to do is pool international and regional efforts." He said one way to start is to hold a conference with countries in the region, and then broaden it to the entire Middle East.

Nebenzia said Iran is not banned from conducting ballistic missile launches and there is no proof that its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

He lashed out at the Trump administration, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listening, for abandoning the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and for "trying to punish all other member states" for implementing the agreement and the Security Council resolution endorsing it.

Nebenzia said, "It's time to abandon unilateral actions," and added, "History shows that they are doomed to failure."