Russian FM slams blaming Iran for 'everything' as 'provocative'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Oct 2023 09:51
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia and Turkey are actively engaging in dialogues concerning the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Fire and smoke rose above residential buildings in Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 8, 2023 (AFP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov revealed on Thursday that Russia and Turkey are engaged in discussions regarding the situation in the Middle East.

During a press event in Pyongyang, Lavrov was questioned about his thoughts on Turkey's proposal to establish a group of guarantor nations aimed at facilitating a "peaceful resolution" to the Israeli-Palestinian struggle.

“We are ready to discuss any constructive proposals. This initiative, which I heard the other day, is clearly dictated by the desire to achieve de-escalation and normalize the situation. What exactly is meant, we would, of course, like to hear from our Turkish friends with whom we are in contact on this issue as well," Lavrov said, as quoted by Sputnik.

“We believe any approaches should be based on a balance of interests of the parties, and not the imposition of someone’s interests at the expense of the interests of others. It seems to me that the Turkish initiative is dictated by the desire to ensure such a balance. We will be ready to cooperate to consider it,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov warned that the Palestinian-Israeli struggle has the potential to expand and escalate into a larger regional war.

“We are observing attempts to blame everything on Iran and we consider them quite provocative. The Iranian leadership, I believe, takes a fairly responsible, balanced position and is calling for preventing this conflict from spreading to the entire region and neighboring countries,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov further informed that he anticipated that discussions involving concerned nations would persist, adding that Egypt is actively spearheading diplomatic efforts, and "our collective aim is to witness a reduction in tensions within the Gaza Strip."

"There will be contacts in the coming days, during which it will become clear how realistic it is to count on this," he said.

He noted that a United Nations Security Council resolution, urging all parties to cease violent actions and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which poses a significant threat to its residents, could have been an effective mechanism. Unfortunately, this resolution was not passed. Lavrov acknowledged that even if it had been adopted, there's no certainty that it would have led to a ceasefire and the resolution of humanitarian issues. However, the call for such a resolution did not produce the desired outcome either, he added.

In another context, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) has announced that it will be sending 27 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The Ministry said in a post on Telegram that an Il-76 aircraft from Russia's EMERCOM has departed from Moscow's Ramenskoye Airport en route to el-Arish International Airport in Egypt, carrying the aid. This humanitarian assistance, consisting of items like flour, sugar, rice, and pasta, was organized following instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government. The aid will be transferred to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society for further distribution in the Gaza Strip.

This comes as Egypt has reportedly agreed to open the Rafah crossing into Gaza to allow 20 trucks filled with humanitarian aid through, United States President Joe Biden told reporters on Wednesday.

The aid packages would not reach Gazans until Friday as the road around the crossing needed repairs, Biden noted, failing to mention that "Israel" was behind the destruction of Palestine's infrastructure.