Russia’s Lavrov engages in Middle East discussions with Iran, Turkey, and Lebanon

• The discussions focused on the Gaza Strip, Syria, and the tense situation in the Red Sea.
• Lavrov and Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan discussed energy issues.
• The UN agenda includes the Middle East crisis, including the Palestinian question.

In the Middle East, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held meetings with his counterparts. The ministry conveyed the bilateral discussions, which focused on the Gaza Strip, Syria, and “the tense situation” in the Red Sea, on the Telegram messaging app on Tuesday. The meetings occurred in New York on Monday.

The ministry further stated that Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reached an agreement on the necessity for a swift ceasefire in Gaza and the conditions for providing humanitarian assistance to civilians.

“General concern was expressed about the tense situation in the Red Sea, which has sharply degraded,” it said.

On Monday, the Pentagon announced that the United States and Britain conducted an additional round of strikes against Yemen’s Houthis in response to their targeting of Red Sea shipping.

The Russian foreign ministry stated that Lavrov and Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib discussed the importance of collective efforts by countries in the region towards an immediate ceasefire.

Recent intense bombardment by Israel in southern Gaza prompted calls from Washington to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff, and patients as the war in October continued.

The UN agenda sets the Security Council to discuss “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.”

Lavrov, on Thursday, announced his intention to propose “collective efforts” at the meeting to address the Middle East crisis.

In discussions with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Lavrov addressed energy issues as well as “upcoming bilateral contacts.”

In December, the Kremlin indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin might visit Turkey in early 2024.

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