MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Tensions in the Persian Gulf area are escalating, creating the risk of shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

"Regrettably, tensions in the Persian Gulf continue to escalate. The opposing sides keep exchanging strikes, causing significant damage to civilian infrastructure in Iran and Arab countries. The risk of shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea has increased. The current situation is creating additional challenges for regional mediation efforts aimed at restoring the negotiation process based on the Islamabad memorandum signed by the United States and Iran on June 17," the statement reads.