ISTANBUL

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday had a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty to discuss escalating tensions in the Gulf region triggered by the US-Israeli joint military operation in Iran.

According to a Russian Foreign Ministry statement, Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to provide assistance in resolving Middle East tensions through peaceful means, taking into account the interests of all states in the region “without any double standards.”

During the call initiated by Cairo, the two top diplomats underlined the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the region and intensified collective political and diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions, it said.

They also discussed the development of Russian-Egyptian cooperation, including upcoming bilateral events, said the statement.

Regional escalation has continued since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, so far killing over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.