Lavrov blames EU and former US administration for energy market crisis
Lavrov told Iranian officials that Moscow did not start the instability on energy markets and discussed Ukraine, regional tensions and bilateral economic ties.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Tehran that Russia did not initiate the destabilisation of global energy markets and placed responsibility for the sector's crisis on the European Union and the previous US administration. He made the remarks after talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.
Claims on Ukraine, regional tensions and bilateral ties
Lavrov also rejected accusations that Moscow targets civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, saying attacks are limited to facilities that directly supply Ukraine's armed forces. He told reporters that Russia avoids strikes on civilian sites except when those sites provide materiel used by Ukrainian forces.
In his remarks Lavrov said: "We have never carried out attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, except in cases where the facilities directly supply the relevant products to the Ukrainian armed forces, which then carry out terrorist attacks on Russian citizens."
The two ministers reviewed developments in the Middle East and global affairs and discussed ways to deepen Russia–Iran bilateral relations. Abbas Araghchi said economic cooperation between the two countries is progressing smoothly.
Araghchi stated: "Economic cooperation is progressing at a good pace and I can say there are no serious problems." He also accused the United States of contributing to insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and blamed Washington and Israel for provoking conflict in the region.
After the talks Lavrov was scheduled to meet Iran's president, Masud Pezeshkian. He arrived in Tehran from Bahrain, where he took part in the ninth round of the strategic dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
Photo: press material from the event
