Lavrov: Iran Did Not Create the Hormuz Crisis, U.S.-Israeli Aggression Is to Blame
Russian foreign minister says U.S. and Israeli aggression is the root cause of regional tensions and urges a durable political settlement.
India, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that Iran did not create the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and called for an immediate halt to the war against the Islamic Republic, describing U.S. and Israeli aggression as the main source of instability in the region.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi following the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Lavrov said the immediate priority was to stop the war and turn the existing ceasefire into a comprehensive and lasting agreement.
“Currently, the most important thing is to put an end to this war and to ensure that this ceasefire is turned into a final deal on ceasing any hostilities,” he said.
“Before This Aggression, There Was No Problem With the Strait of Hormuz”
Lavrov rejected accusations that Iran was responsible for the maritime tensions that have alarmed global energy markets and shipping companies.
“And now everyone is calling on Iran and everyone else with this demand to open up the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
“I would like to remind you that before February 28, before the start of this aggression, there was no problem with the Strait of Hormuz. The navigation was ensured. Safe navigation was ensured 100 percent.”
He said the chronology itself disproves the narrative blaming Tehran.
“But Iran is not the country that blocked the Strait of Hormuz,” Lavrov stated. “Iran was not the country that created this problem in relation to the other neighboring countries and in relation to the Persian Gulf states.”
“The Root Cause Is the Unprovoked Aggression by the United States and Israel”
Lavrov said any serious effort to resolve the crisis must begin with an honest assessment of its origins.
“We need to understand the root causes of every conflict,” he said.
“And we understand what the root cause is here: unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran.”
According to Lavrov, the military campaign was aimed not only at attacking Iran directly but also at undermining its regional relations.
The objective, he said, was to inflame hostility between Iran and neighboring countries in the Persian Gulf.
Russia’s Longstanding Security Proposal for the Persian Gulf
Lavrov recalled that Moscow has for years advocated a collective security mechanism for the Persian Gulf involving Iran, Arab monarchies, the League of Arab States, and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
“Because when the Arab countries and Iran were hostile towards each other, it was not normal,” he said.
“It was only damaging the people of their countries.”
He added that China had advanced similar initiatives and that Tehran had supported diplomatic efforts designed to reduce tensions and establish a more stable regional order.
India’s “Vast Diplomatic Experience”
Lavrov said BRICS as an organization is not designed to mediate the conflict directly, but individual member states can play significant roles.
He pointed to Pakistan as helping facilitate urgent contacts between Iran and the United States.
“Pakistan is helping establish dialogues between the U.S. and Iran to resolve urgent problems,” he said.
Lavrov then highlighted India as a potential long-term mediator.
“If they seek a long-term mediator between Iran and its Arab friends, this role could be played by India, considering its vast diplomatic experience and international standing,” he said.
He added that India’s position as the current BRICS chair, its major energy needs, and its strong ties across the region make New Delhi uniquely positioned to help bring key stakeholders together.
From Ceasefire to a Durable Settlement
Lavrov concluded by stressing that the current ceasefire should not be treated as a temporary pause but as the starting point for a broader political settlement that ends hostilities and restores regional stability.
For Moscow, he said, the central fact remains unchanged: Iran did not create the Hormuz crisis, and the instability now threatening the Persian Gulf began only after the United States and Israel launched their assault on the Islamic Republic.
Earlier Warning on Caspian Sea Impact
In earlier remarks delivered in Astana on April 30, Lavrov warned that U.S. and Israeli aggression against Iran had negatively affected the Caspian Sea region.
He condemned the March 18 strike on the port infrastructure of Bandar Anzali, describing the attack on facilities serving all five Caspian littoral states as unacceptable and inadmissible.
Lavrov said at the time that the Caspian region must remain a zone of peace and cooperation and reiterated the need to resolve the crisis in the Persian Gulf and West Asia through political agreements among all parties involved. (PW)