MOSCOW, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday "strongly" condemned the recent assassination of Iranian top nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

"We express our serious concern over the provocative nature of this terrorist act, which was clearly aimed at destabilizing the situation and raising the potential for conflict in the region," the ministry said in a statement.

Whoever was behind the murder and tried to use it for political interests must be held accountable, it stressed.

The ministry noted that Russia invariably prioritizes stability and security in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, and calls on all parties to refrain from steps that could lead to an escalation of tensions.

Fakhrizadeh died of severe injuries in hospital on Friday afternoon, following an ambush on his vehicle in Absard village, 60 km northeast of Tehran.