TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran Saturday called for an immediate ceasefire in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia where the ongoing conflict has reportedly killed 1,500 people, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    "The Islamic Republic of Iran is concerned about the current conflict in the South Ossetia which claimed the lives of many defenseless civilians," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said.

    Calling for an immediate truce to rescue civilians, Qashqavi expressed the hope that the belligerent rivals would exercise vigilance to help resolve the issue through peaceful means.

    He warned that continuation of such crises could leave negative impacts on the stability and security of Caucasus as well as the entire region.

    Iran is to help restore peace and stability to the region and spares no efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, the spokesman said.

    South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. Since then it was governed by a secessionist government although its independence has not been internationally recognized.

    On Friday, Georgian troops began military actions against South Ossetia's forces in an attempt to re-establish control over the region. In response, Russian troops moved into the region to fight the Georgian forces and its warplanes bombed the region.

    Russia said the two-day conflict has killed 1,500 people and that the death toll is expected to rise.