💢 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks in Tehran on October 19. Key statements: • Russia-Iran relations: Bilateral trade grew 21% in 2025 and over 10% in the first eight months of 2026. Moscow will continue its economic and investment commitments despite the war. • Strategic projects: Russian specialists are gradually returning to the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Surveys for the Rasht-Astara railway continue, with construction awaiting completion of Iranian documentation. • Strait of Hormuz: Lavrov called for restoring freedom of navigation alongside guarantees against renewed aggression. Araghchi attributed regional maritime insecurity to US-Israeli military operations and the economic blockade of Iran. • US military presence: Araghchi stated that American bases failed to protect their host countries or even themselves, sustaining severe damage during the war. Tehran supports a regional collective security arrangement without foreign military forces. • Gulf security architecture: Lavrov outlined Russia's proposal encompassing all six Gulf Arab states and Iran, with UN Security Council permanent members and regional organizations serving as facilitators rather than determining security arrangements. • Mecca Pact: Moscow welcomed the Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani defense arrangement but distinguished it from its Gulf security proposal. Lavrov expressed support for any Iranian decision to engage with the pact, noting interest from other regional states. • Yemen: Russia favors reviving the 2023 Saudi-developed roadmap, previously acceptable to both the internationally recognized authorities in Aden and Ansar Allah. • Caspian Sea: Araghchi raised attacks against Iranian and Russian vessels and port infrastructure, warning of consequences for regional security and the Caspian environment. • Ukraine: Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow's determination to achieve its military objectives, preferably through negotiations, while stating that Kiev and its European backers remain unwilling to negotiate. • Energy markets: Lavrov blamed European governments and the Biden administration for destabilizing global energy markets by abandoning Russian supplies. He emphasized Moscow's preference for stable prices over volatility. • Civilizational confrontation: Araghchi rejected Washington's portrayal of the conflict as a civilizational struggle, describing it as an attempt to rationalize its failure to extricate itself from a nine-month war. • Wider cooperation: Both sides reaffirmed coordination through BRICS, the SCO and the EAEU, support for Palestinian statehood under UN resolutions, and cooperation on South Caucasus security through the 3+3 format. - More from the Russian MFA. - More from the Iranian MFA. Subscribe @NewResistance