Lavrov’s visit to Tehran being finalised, Russian deputy FM says

A visit to Tehran by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is currently being finalised, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said.

“We are working on it,” Rudenko said in response to a question from Iranian news agency Tasnim about the planned visit.

He also said Moscow was keen for dialogue between Tehran and Washington to continue to prevent further negative consequences for the Middle East.

“We are very keen to see diplomatic efforts resumed in the interests of all states in the region that are suffering from the consequences of this campaign,” Rudenko said in an interview with Tasnim.

According to Rudenko, Russia considers the latest US strikes on Iranian territory a unilateral violation of a recently concluded memorandum between Iran and the United States.

The latest escalation in the US-Iran conflict began on July 8, when US forces launched several waves of strikes against targets in Iran in response to an attack on a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. On the same day, US President Donald Trump announced the end of the truce with Iran.

Iran subsequently retaliated by striking US facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Oman. On July 14, the United States resumed its naval blockade of Iran.

By Sabina Mammadli