MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, held talks on Tuesday over the escalating military and political situation in the Persian Gulf.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the ministers “held a trustworthy exchange of views on the ongoing unprecedented escalation of the military and political situation in the Persian Gulf region.” They noted the urgent need to stop hostilities, which have caused human casualties and damaged critical civilian infrastructure, even in countries not directly involved in the conflict.
The tensions followed a military operation by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, which struck major Iranian cities including Tehran. The White House cited alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran as justification. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted Israeli sites, as well as US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The joint US-Israeli strikes reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials. 
On March 26, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day suspension of strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, which was later extended by a day to allow negotiations. On Monday, Trump warned of further action, threatening Iran’s bridges and power plants.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia is receiving numerous requests for energy supplies from alternative consumers. He confirmed that negotiations are ongoing to secure deals that align with Russia’s interests.
