Russia has raised an alarm, warning that the Middle East and global trade routes face growing risks of crisis amid Gulf tensions.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking in Moscow during a roundtable with ambassadors from the five Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) monarchies, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, highlighted Moscow’s long-standing initiative for a Gulf security framework.
The plan calls for structured interaction between the five Arab monarchies and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Addressing the escalating conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, Sergey Lavrov also criticised recent US actions in Venezuela, describing the removal of the lawfully elected president as a military invasion.
He warned that US–Israel military aggression against Iran threatens to destabilise world trade, energy security, transport, and business communications.
Also Read: Sergey Lavrov Accuses U.S. and Israel of Dragging Iran into a Wider Conflict with Gulf Countries
“This year kicked off with a military invasion by the US in Venezuela, with the lawfully elected president smuggled out of the country. US-Israel military aggression against Iran threatens to destabilise world trade, energy security, transport, and business communications,” Sergey Lavrov said.
Sergey Lavrov Says Western Powers’ Moves in Latin America and the Middle East Threaten Global Stability
Further, Sergey Lavrov added that dramatic events unfolding in Latin America and the Middle East stem from attempts by a Western minority to maintain what remains of their global dominance, underlining the risks these actions pose to regional and international stability.
“We have been witnesses to some very dramatic turns of events in Latin America and in the Middle East. Events that directly stem from the attempts of the Western minority to retain what is left of their dominance on the international arena,” Lavrov noted.
Putin Declares Stance On Iran Wars
Also Read: Russia Condemns Strikes on Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility, Calls for International Assessment
In a Reuters report on March 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended Nowruz greetings to Iranian leaders, emphasising that Moscow remains a “loyal friend and reliable partner” to Tehran, according to the Kremlin.
The scope of Russia’s backing for Iran, however, remains contested. Some Iranian sources have suggested that Moscow has provided limited practical assistance amid what they describe as the most severe crisis Iran has faced since the 1979 overthrow of the U.S.-backed Shah.
According to the Kremlin, Putin sent his congratulations to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, wishing the Iranian people the strength to “overcome the harsh trials with dignity.”
Russia has blamed U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran for plunging the Middle East into instability and fueling a global energy crisis. Putin also condemned the assassination of an Iranian Supreme Leader as a “cynical” act, Reuters reported.
