Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Moscow's condemnation of the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran, stressing the need for a regional security framework based on cooperation among regional states.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and his Russian counterpart Lavrov held a meeting on Friday on the sidelines of the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, where the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments.
The ministers reviewed cooperation in the political, economic, trade, transport, and energy sectors, along with coordination within international organizations and multilateral frameworks, including the SCO and BRICS. They also agreed to follow up on the implementation of bilateral understandings in the relevant fields.
The two top diplomats exchanged views on developments in West Asia following the US’ renewed breach of commitments and its violation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Araqchi praised Russia's principled stance and its firm condemnation of the US and Israeli military aggression against Iran, saying the current insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz is a direct consequence of Washington's breach of commitments and crimes against the Islamic Republic.
Recalling Iran's goodwill during the negotiations that led to the MoU ending the war, the Iranian foreign minister stressed that while Tehran has demonstrated its seriousness in diplomacy, it remains firmly determined to defend its national interests and security and prevent the US from exploiting the Strait of Hormuz to threaten Iran's national security.
For his part, Lavrov reiterated Russia's principled position condemning the US and Israeli military aggression against Iran.
He also emphasized the importance of cooperation and confidence-building to establish a regional security mechanism based on the countries of the region and expressed Russia's readiness to provide any assistance toward that objective.
