Lavrov meets Iran’s foreign minister in Tehran after Gulf states urge Russia to press for talks
Sergey Lavrov and Abbas Araghchi discussed the war and regional security on October 19, a day after Gulf states asked Moscow to press Iran toward dialogue.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Tehran on October 19 to discuss the war with the United States and efforts to end it, Al Jazeera reported. The meeting came a day after Gulf states urged Moscow to press Iran toward dialogue and help restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The meeting marks a change from the previously announced trip: Lavrov has now arrived in Iran and held talks with Araghchi. Al Jazeera said this was his first visit to Iran since February 2025.
What Lavrov and Araghchi said in Tehran
Araghchi said cooperation between Iran and Russia could help bring stability to the region and that Tehran intended to maintain the relationship, Al-Monitor reported. Lavrov said Russia intended to carry out its economic and investment agreements with Iran despite the conflict. Their remarks set out a continuing bilateral agenda alongside discussion of the war.
Lavrov also reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to its 20-year strategic partnership agreement with Iran, which came into force on October 2, according to Al Jazeera. He said Russian specialists would gradually return to the Bushehr nuclear power plant after leaving during the war; he gave no timetable for their return in the reported remarks.
What Gulf states asked Russia to do
At a meeting with Lavrov in Bahrain on October 18, Gulf Cooperation Council ministers called on Russia to use its influence to press Iran to comply with UN resolutions, end attacks on Gulf states and pursue serious dialogue, The National reported. Al Jazeera said the Gulf states also urged Moscow to help restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after attacks on commercial vessels disrupted traffic.
GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi said member states had faced more than 7,000 missile and drone attacks since February 28, according to The National. That figure is the council’s account of the attacks. The requests in Bahrain show the pressure on Moscow from Iran’s Gulf neighbours as Lavrov holds talks in Tehran.
The security risk around shipping remained immediate on October 19. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said an oil tanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, The National reported. The outlet said the claim could not be independently verified and that the IRGC offered no evidence of a mine.
Read in depth: World
Macron faces criticism after riot address and keeps interior minister in post
French politicians across the spectrum criticised Emmanuel Macron’s response to weekend unrest. He rejected Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez’s offer to resign and asked him to...
Anders Fernstedt describes life outside a £210 million London mansion
The Swedish man has lived on the portico of an unoccupied Knightsbridge house for more than three years, relying on local businesses and a nearby charity.
Sources and context
- Lavrov visits Tehran as Trump praises Russia's role on Iran: What to knowAl-Monitor (Rosaleen Carroll)
- Lavrov visits Tehran after Gulf states press Russia over Iran attacks | The NationalThe National
- Russia’s Lavrov discusses US war and regional security during Tehran visitAl Jazeera (Maziar Motamedi)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.