Russian Foreign Ministry statement on the developments in the Middle East

Foreign Ministry statement on the developments in the Middle East:

Today, a window of opportunity is emerging to resolve the complex situation in the Persian Gulf region. The majority of countries support this effort, placing their hopes on the success of the negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are set to begin in Islamabad with the mediation of our Pakistani partners.

Regrettably, however, certain forces are impeding progress toward peace, whether intentionally or not, by creating obstacles along the way. In particular, those who initiated aggression against Iran and now hold it responsible for issues related to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz should not obscure the actual sequence of events, including the fact that this vital waterway operated without disruption until February 28.

At this stage, the core objective is to address the root causes of the destructive conflict in the region, namely by bringing a complete end to the war initiated by the United States and Israel. Among its consequences are the damage sustained by the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as military activity in the Lebanese-Israeli border area and missile and air strikes on Lebanon, which must cease immediately.

In this context, we advocate resolving existing disagreements among the countries of the region through political and diplomatic means. We remain committed to close cooperation with our partners in order to advance constructive peace efforts and ensure the stabilisation of the situation in the Middle East.

We call on all participants in the forthcoming talks in Pakistan to act responsibly and refrain from any steps that could jeopardise this opportunity.

We also reaffirm the relevance of Russia’s well-known initiative to develop a security framework for the Persian Gulf region through dialogue among all littoral states – the Arab countries and the Islamic Republic of Iran – with the involvement and support of external actors capable of genuinely contributing to a fair and sustainable balance of interests.

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