Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, discussed the crisis in Southwest Asia by phone on April 5, “as well as the international efforts to end the confrontation in this important region as soon as possible and launch a political and diplomatic dialogue,” the Russian Foreign Ministry reported in a statement. “In this context, ways to strengthen Russian-Chinese cooperation across international platforms and, above all, at the United Nations were discussed. The ministers expressed satisfaction with Russia and China’s converging approaches on most issues on the global agenda, including the situation around Iran related to the unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against that country.”
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry readout: “Lavrov stated that Russia is highly concerned about the continued escalation of the situation in the Middle East. Regarding the current hostilities and the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, Russia maintains that military actions must cease immediately and that a return to the track of politics and diplomacy is essential to address the root causes of the conflict. The UN Security Council should play a constructive role in this regard. Russia stands ready to maintain close communication and coordination with China and continue to make efforts and speak out for a ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities.”