Russian FM says some parties seek to keep Gulf states wary of Iran

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia welcomes the agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia, while warning that some parties are attempting to keep Gulf states suspicious of Tehran.

In an interview with RT, Lavrov stressed that Moscow has long worked to foster constructive relations among Gulf countries. He accused unnamed actors of pursuing a traditional “divide and conquer” strategy to prevent closer ties with Iran.

Lavrov highlighted the historical relationship between Russia and Saudi Arabia, recalling that the Soviet Union was the first state to recognise the Kingdom and that Soviet diplomats left “positive impressions” during their service there.

He noted that cooperation between Moscow and Riyadh continues in key sectors, including energy, agriculture, and industry, and emphasized close coordination at the political level on issues such as the Palestinian question and the Arab Peace Initiative introduced by King Faisal bin Abdulaziz.

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