Lavrov meets Iranian leaders as Hormuz attacks strain regional diplomacy

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday, seeking to avert another large-scale war as attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz and a deadly missile strike in Yemen underscored the region’s continuing instability.

Lavrov held talks with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and was scheduled to meet President Masoud Pezeshkian. It was his first visit to Iran since the United States and Israel launched their war against the country on February 28. Lavrov said Russia’s efforts were “aimed at preventing the return of a large-scale war.”

Araghchi blamed the United States and Israel for the insecurity around the strait, where attacks have disrupted commercial shipping. “The existing insecurity around the Strait of Hormuz is a direct result of the military aggression by the US and [Israel] against Iran,” he said. He also blamed a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and said regional problems have “no military solution.”

The visit followed Lavrov’s talks Sunday in Bahrain with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. According to Al Jazeera, Gulf officials urged Moscow to use its influence with Tehran to press for serious dialogue and restore shipping through the strait. GCC chief Jasem Al-Budaiwi said member countries had faced more than 7,000 Iranian missiles and drones since the war began. The council said future talks should address Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and its support for regional armed groups.

Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire with the United States and a phased reopening of the strait remains available, Araghchi said Sunday, according to CBS News. The proposal calls for Washington to lift its naval blockade and sanctions against Iran; President Donald Trump rejected it last month. Talks between Tehran and Washington are at a standstill.

Shipping remains under threat. The U.K. navy’s Maritime Trade Operations center recorded 10 attacks on commercial vessels in and near the strait last week and said October was already the worst month for such attacks there since the early days of the war in March. On Sunday, a tugboat off the United Arab Emirates reported being struck by two unknown projectiles. It was damaged but continued its voyage, and one minor injury was reported.

The wider conflict also struck Yemen on Monday. A government official said a Houthi ballistic missile attack on the al-Alam military camp in Shabwa province killed at least 50 people and injured more than 100, some critically, CBS News reported. Earlier, two Yemeni military officials had reported at least 20 soldiers killed. The U.S. issued a security alert urging Americans in the Middle East to “exercise heightened vigilance,” citing Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian airports and other infrastructure.

Three people briefed on Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative told AFP that its Riyadh conference, scheduled for October 26-29, would be postponed amid repeated Houthi attacks. Oil prices eased Monday but remained elevated: Brent crude fell 2.5% to $107.16 a barrel after reaching nearly $110 on Friday, while benchmark U.S. crude fell 2.2% to $96.84.