West Is Artificially Stirring Up Tensions in the Gulf - Moscow

By Staff, Agencies

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the West is artificially fueling tensions in the Gulf region.

Moscow is concerned over increasing tensions in the Persian Gulf, and it sees attempts to stoke these tensions, Lavrov said on Monday in a meeting with Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“We see some of our Western colleagues artificially trying to inflame the situation. And Russia and Iran oppose such attempts with a proposal to establish equal, mutually beneficial cooperation in this important region," Lavrov said.

The statement came after the Pentagon claimed responsibility on Sunday of the US military strikes that targeted five Hezbollah Brigades’ facilities in Syria and Iraq.

In May, the US sent its aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East citing an unspecified Iranian “threat” to US interests in the region. Since then, the Gulf has seen a string of dangerous incidents, including tanker sabotage attacks, ship seizures and drone shoot downs.

Earlier this year, Lavrov stated that Russia calls for a solution to tensions in the Persian Gulf through dialogue and without unfounded accusations.