Moscow, April 14: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized the need to prevent renewed conflict during a conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. He reiterated Moscow’s willingness to assist in resolving the ongoing crisis.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov highlighted the urgent need to avoid the resumption of hostilities, stating that military solutions are not viable for this situation.
The ministry’s details of the telephone conversation noted, “Lavrov stressed the importance of preventing armed confrontations and reiterated Russia’s readiness to continue assisting in resolving the crisis, which has no military solution. He also recalled Russia’s initiative to develop a concept for ensuring security in the Persian Gulf, involving participation from all coastal countries and support from external nations.”
During the discussion, Abbas Araghchi provided updates on the recent Iran-U.S. talks held in Islamabad on April 11. He expressed concerns over U.S. activities in sensitive maritime areas and warned of their broader implications.
According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Araghchi stated that U.S. activities in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz could have serious impacts on regional and global peace and stability.
The Russian Foreign Ministry welcomed the commitment to continue diplomatic efforts and seek solutions that address the root causes of the conflict while considering the legitimate interests of Iran and its neighbors.
Lavrov also expressed condolences to his Iranian counterpart regarding the assassination of Kharrazi, the former head of Iran’s Foreign Ministry and the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, in an airstrike.
Meanwhile, Lavrov has arrived in China for a two-day official visit to discuss bilateral cooperation and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Prior to this, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that he would hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on April 14-15.
The foreign ministers of both countries are expected to discuss cooperation in various multilateral forums, including the UN, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, G-20, and APEC. They will also engage in extensive discussions on major issues such as the Ukraine crisis and the situation in the Middle East.
In related news, a Kremlin spokesperson noted that the U.S. blockade imposed by Donald Trump on the Strait of Hormuz could negatively impact international markets.
He stated, “Such measures are likely to continue affecting international markets negatively; this can be considered quite certain.” However, he added that many details related to this blockade remain unclear, making it premature to comment extensively.
On Sunday, the U.S. clarified that it would implement a broad maritime blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports starting April 13. This action was taken as high-level talks between Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement on key issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
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