Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, who is heading a delegation to Tehran, met and discussed with Seyed Abbas Araghchi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran this afternoon (Monday), October 19, 2026.
Emphasis on Bilateral and Regional Cooperation
Lavrov stated in a joint press conference after the meeting: "We have prevented efforts to justify aggression against Iran and provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Iran, including sending medicine." He also referred to the regular dialogues between the presidents of the two countries and added: "In recent weeks, the presidents have met twice, and we hope that the Minister of Health will travel to Russia to participate in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum."
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The Russian Foreign Minister stated that they value the level of cooperation, saying: "Discussions continue at the level of government and private and public companies. A free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Union has been signed."
Common Positions on Regional Security
Lavrov believes that unilateral sanctions are unconstructive, illegal, and violate international law. He also emphasized the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in international arenas, including Shanghai and BRICS. He is also seeking to activate efforts regarding Palestinian issues.
The Russian Foreign Minister regarding the security of the Caspian Sea said: "There have been efforts to undermine security, and we believe that Iran and Russia should assist in advancing the 3+3 process in the South Caucasus." He also thanked Iran for its position on the Ukraine crisis and provided information on recent efforts in this area.
In response to a question about collective security in the Persian Gulf, Lavrov emphasized: "Our theory is titled securing security in the Persian Gulf, meaning we are talking about the Gulf states and Iran."
He continued: "For several decades, we have been working on this idea, and numerous meetings and discussions have been held on how we can move towards stability and security in the region. Not only the Gulf states but also other countries should participate as facilitating countries to create conditions for further agreements."
The Russian Foreign Minister added: "The aggression by the United States and Israel was baseless, and we are ready to help seek solutions and an exit from the crisis. Diplomacy must definitely be used, and we demand a return to the situation before the crisis in the Persian Gulf and freedom of navigation and a prevention of repeated aggression."
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