Russia's foreign minister says it can be "counter-productive" for the United States and the West to encourage the spread of revolutions and pro-democracy protests in the Middle East.

Sergei Lavrov says Russia has had its own revolution and does not need to be calling for others.

Lavrov made his comments Tuesday at a joint press conference in London with British Foreign Secretary William Hague, after the two diplomats held talks.

In recent weeks, popular uprisings have toppled long-standing regimes in Egypt and Tunisia.  Anti-government demonstrators are now holding protests in Iran, Bahrain and Yemen.

On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised the Iranian demonstrators as courageous. Hague urged Iran's government to restrain itself from cracking down on protesters and to allow people to freely express their views.