MOSCOW: Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Foreign Ministers from Turkiye, Lebanon and Iran ahead of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Tuesday due to discuss the Middle East, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The meetings focused on Gaza, Syria and “the tense situation” in the Red Sea, the ministry said. It added that the meetings took place in New York.
The ministry maintained Foreign Minister Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also discussed ceasefire in the Gaza strip and conditions for providing humanitarian help to civilians.
It added that general concern was expressed regarding the tense situation in the Red Sea.
Russia’s FM Talks Middle East with Turkiye, Lebanon
Earlier, the United States and Britain also carried out an additional round of attacks against Houthis over their targeting of Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon announced.
Russian’s FM Lavrov and Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib also talked about the significance of collective efforts of nations in the region toward an immediate truce, the ministry added.
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Israel carried out the most intense bombardment in southern Gaza since the war started in October, prompting calls from the US to protect innocent people in hospitals, patients and medical staff.
According to the UN agenda, the UNSC is to discuss “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.”
Lavrov added on Thursday he will propose “collective efforts” at the meeting to address the Middle East crisis. With Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Lavrov discussed energy matters as well as “upcoming bilateral contacts.”
In December, the Kremlin stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Turkiye in early 2024.
