DID Press: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that the Middle East is on the brink of a wider war, but said the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran could help steer the situation back towards diplomacy.
Speaking at a news conference following the ninth round of strategic dialogue between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Lavrov said the memorandum still contained the elements needed to shift the region away from the threat of a full-scale war and towards political and diplomatic negotiations.
“We believe that this memorandum still contains everything necessary to change the current situation, which is on the brink of a full-scale war, and return it to the political and diplomatic track of negotiations,” he said.
Lavrov also stressed the need to address the root causes of tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas. He called for the implementation of agreements between Washington and Tehran under what has been described as the Islamabad memorandum.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Lavrov would travel to Tehran on Monday, October 19, for meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The discussions are expected to cover bilateral relations and regional developments.