Top Russian diplomat meets Iranian counterpart, UN chief on sidelines of General Assembly

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and Kazakh counterpart Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on the sidelines of the 81st General Assembly in New York, according to official statements.

During the meeting between Lavrov and Araghchi late Thursday, the two discussed pressing regional and international issues, focusing on the evolving situation surrounding Iran, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said.

“They emphasized that there is no alternative to a diplomatic resolution of the crisis triggered by the unlawful actions of the United States and Israel,” it said, referring to the war those countries launched on Feb. 28.

The sides also discussed the implementation of deals reached in a meeting of the Russian and Iranian presidents in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Sept. 1, held on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

“The ministers reviewed the schedule of upcoming Russian-Iranian contacts at various levels,” it added.

A separate statement on Lavrov’s meeting with the UN secretary-general said their discussion focused on issues regarding the UN’s activities, and particularly on the results of Guterres’ tenure as UN chief, as he is due to retire at the end of this year.

Lavrov highlighted the importance of “carefully considered UN reform” to adapt the organization to “the realities of a multipolar world order,” the statement said, adding that he stressed the need to broaden representation of nationals from the "global majority" within the secretariat and for UN personnel to perform their duties in an "impartial and even-handed" manner.

“He also stressed the impermissibility of eroding the organization’s intergovernmental character or violating the established division of labor among its principal organs,” it noted.

Kazakhstan, India

During talks between Lavrov and Tileuberdi, the top diplomats discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation aimed at deepening the Russian-Kazakh comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance.

According to a statement, they exchanged views on interaction within regional and international forums and coordinated their positions on pressing global issues.

Lavrov also expressed condolences over Thursday’s incident that killed 14 people during a combat training mission in the Caspian Sea.

During the meeting between Lavrov and Jaishankar, they discussed bilateral cooperation, upcoming contacts, and regional and global issues, including the Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Middle East.

The two sides expressed their intention to strengthen the Russian-Indian strategic partnership and maintain close coordination in the UN, Group of 20, BRICS and other international forums.

Lavrov’s meeting with Jaishankar came after the top Indian diplomat raised New Delhi’s concerns over a US law targeting countries that purchase Russian energy during a Wednesday meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York.

Jaishankar said that he “reiterated India’s interests and concerns” regarding the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act.