Russian foreign minister casts doubt on prospects for regional stability

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said he does not expect stability to return to the Middle East in the foreseeable future, citing ongoing violence and unresolved political questions.

Speaking at the Middle East conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club on Monday, Lavrov said: “Unfortunately, at this stage, I don’t think this region will calm down any time soon, despite the huge number of initiatives we are all aware of.”

He pointed to continued violence and a lack of clarity surrounding key elements of the Trump plan, including the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the disarmament of Hamas, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the establishment of executive leadership for Gaza within a framework involving the Palestinian Authority and implementation of a UN resolution on the creation of a single Palestinian state.

“We sincerely hope that these issues will be clarified, especially now that our American colleagues have announced the transition to the second phase of the Trump plan,” Lavrov said, referring to reconstruction and humanitarian measures. “But the fundamental issue remains the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.”

He added that he hoped the Peace Council established at the initiative of US President Donald Trump would examine the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Lavrov also welcomed mediation efforts by Oman, saying he had spoken at length with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi. He stressed that a peaceful resolution must be found between Iran and the United States.

“We are in constant contact with our Iranian friends, including jointly with our Chinese colleagues,” Lavrov said. “This is a matter of concern to us; we are worried about the future of Iran.”