Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the Middle East is on the brink of a full-scale war. According to him, one of the possible ways to return to a diplomatic process is to restore the agreements set out in the Islamabad memorandum between the United States and Iran.
“The Islamabad memorandum contains all the necessary elements to return the situation around the Strait of Hormuz to the diplomatic path“, Lavrov said. He added that US President Donald Trump's approach to the Iranian leadership does not create conditions for peace agreements in the region.
Upcoming talks in Tehran
Lavrov will visit Tehran, where he will meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. A conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also planned. Among the topics will be tensions in the Persian Gulf, shipping security and the situation around the Strait of Hormuz.
The Russian minister also said that Moscow is looking for ways to resolve the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis. According to him, further high-level contacts with the King of Bahrain were also discussed.
The diesel dispute and criticism of Europe
Lavrov described the agreement on Russian diesel between Moscow and Washington as a bilateral issue, regardless of the reactions of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“This is a matter between Russia and the United States“, said the Russian Foreign Minister, describing Zelensky's statements as an attempt at self-promotion.
Donald Trump announced on October 9 that Russia would supply diesel to the American and global markets. The deal later drew criticism from Kiev and some US lawmakers. The Associated Press described the agreement as a change in Washington's previous sanctions policy towards Moscow.
Lavrov accused European countries of destabilizing world markets in an attempt to preserve Zelensky's power. This is an assessment by the Russian government that is not presented as a generally accepted fact.
Gaza and the Palestinian state
On the topic of Gaza, Lavrov said that the creation of a Palestinian state is becoming a distant prospect. He stressed that Russia remains committed to UN resolutions on the creation of a Palestinian state within internationally agreed parameters.
According to the Russian Foreign Minister, Trump's plan to resolve the conflict in Gaza exists only on paper, and the parameters specified in the relevant resolutions are not being respected. In a statement to journalists at the UN, Lavrov pointed out that Resolution 2803, related to Trump's plan, does not cover the West Bank and does not provide a full basis for the creation of a Palestinian state.
Sources: tass.com, apnews.com, transcripts.un.org