Russia’s Lavrov backs US-Iran talks in call with Iranian counterpart

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed hope for the success of US-Iran peace talks during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

"The Russian side welcomed the announcement of a two-week cessation of hostilities between the US and Iran, as well as Israel's adherence to these agreements," the ministry said in a statement.

Moscow believes that the agreements announced by Pakistani mediators have a regional dimension and, in particular, apply to Lebanon, the statement added.

Lavrov expressed hope for the success of the negotiation process and reaffirmed Russia's readiness to assist in finding solutions to overcome the consequences of what it called unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against Iran and to ensure long-term peace and sustainable security in the region, it said.

For his part, Araghchi thanked Russia "for its principled position" in the UN Security Council during discussions on the situation in the Gulf, the ministry said.

He stressed Iran's "responsible approach" in accepting the ceasefire, saying "the United States bears responsibility for fulfilling its commitments, including halting the war across all fronts, notably in Lebanon," according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

On the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, he said "safe navigation will be ensured under specific guidelines, in coordination with Iran's armed forces, through designated routes and in line with existing technical measures, provided the US adheres to its commitments," it added.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow "strongly condemns" the Israeli attack on Lebanon carried out on April 8.

According to Zakharova, such actions by Israel jeopardize the emerging negotiation process and increase the risk of renewed large-scale armed confrontation in the Middle East.