Iranian, Russian top diplomats discuss Gaza, Red Sea over phone

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed bilateral relations and regional issues in a phone call Tuesday.

Amir-Abdollahian criticized US attempts to pass a UN resolution against Yemen under the pretext of defending the security of the Red Sea, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The developments in the Red Sea are related to Gaza and the behavior of the US and the Israeli regime towards Palestine, and proposing such a resolution lays the groundwork for an increased American military presence in the region and the Red Sea," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

He stressed the necessity of halting the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and the killing of Palestinians.

Lavrov said the recent actions of the US at the UN Security Council regarding Yemen are a pretext for a broader presence in the region.

"The Americans aren't very interested in finding the root causes of the crises," he added.

Russia desires peace in the region, an end to the war in Gaza, and the establishment of a Palestinian state," Lavrov added, according to the statement.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have targeted vessels in the Southern Red Sea, warning they will attack all Israel-bound ships. They say the attacks are to support Palestinians as they face Israel's "aggression and siege" in Gaza.

The Red Sea is one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced the creation of a multinational mission – Operation Prosperity Guardian – to counter the Houthi attacks.

Lavrov also expressed his condolences over the recent twin bombings in the Iranian city of Kerman which claimed the lives of 91 people.

Turning to bilateral relations, he emphasized the importance of finalizing a comprehensive and strategic cooperation agreement between Russia and Iran and promoting cooperation in the area of transportation.

"The two sides discussed the final steps regarding a long-term cooperation agreement between Tehran and Moscow and the implementation of the Rasht-Astara railway project alongside facilitating the movement of Iranian truckers on the Belarus-Russia route," the statement said.