Russia urges responsible approach ahead of US-Iran talks in Pakistan

MOSCOW: Russia on Saturday urged all parties involved in US-Iran talks in Pakistan to act responsibly and avoid any steps that could derail the negotiations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

In a statement on the situation in the Middle East, the ministry said the talks scheduled to take place in Islamabad represent an opportunity to ease tensions in the Gulf region and should not be undermined.

“We call on all participants in the talks in Pakistan to act responsibly and refrain from any actions that could jeopardise this opportunity,” the ministry said.

Russia said that it believed the majority of countries support the diplomatic process and hope for progress in the negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are being facilitated by Pakistan.

However, Moscow warned that certain actors were obstructing peace efforts and creating obstacles to progress, whether intentionally or otherwise.

The ministry also reiterated its position that the root causes of the regional conflict must be addressed, calling for an end to what it described as the war involving the United States and Israel, and urging an immediate halt to hostilities in Lebanon and the wider Middle East.

It said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz had been stable prior to late February and cautioned against attempts to misrepresent the sequence of events surrounding disruptions in regional shipping routes.

Russia further called for disputes in the region to be resolved through political and diplomatic means, reaffirming its proposal for a broader Gulf security framework based on dialogue among regional states, including Iran and Arab countries, with external support.

Moscow said a “window of opportunity” had emerged for resolving the crisis and stressed that the success of the Islamabad talks would depend on restraint and constructive engagement by all sides.