UNITED NATIONS, June 27 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council said that it deeply regrets Zimbabwe's decision to press ahead with a presidential run-off election on Friday since conditions for a free and fair election did not exist.

The council also agreed that it would return to the issue in the coming days.

The statement, which was backed by all 15 council members including South Africa, China and Russia, was read out by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, the council's current president. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau, editing by Patrick Worsnip)

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