India could help mediate relations between Iran, Arab states: Russian foreign minister

India could help mediate relations between Iran and Arab states, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday.

Speaking after the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, Lavrov stressed that India could play a long-term mediating role between Tehran and its Arab neighbors.

“India, for example, holds the BRICS presidency. It is directly dependent on oil supplies, including from this region. Why not offer its good offices as the BRICS presidency and invite Iran and the Emirates to talk first and avoid hostility,” he said.

Lavrov argued that outside actors were fueling tensions to create further instability between Iran and its Arab neighbors.

“And we should act with precisely the opposite goal,” he said.

“Pakistan is now helping to establish dialogue between the US and Iran. This is to resolve the immediate existing crisis.”

“And in the long term, India, given its extensive diplomatic experience and authority, could play the role of such an intermediary between Iran and its Arab neighbors,” he added.

Lavrov said the main objective surrounding Iran was ending the conflict triggered by the US-Israeli joint military attack on Feb. 28 and achieving a stable settlement.

Speaking about ties with Armenia, Lavrov said Moscow and Yerevan have “close, yet complex, relations,” accusing the West of trying to “subjugate” the South Caucasus country.

He said member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) could discuss efforts to draw Armenia into the “Western orbit” during the bloc’s summit in May. Lavrov also expressed disappointment that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan would not attend.

“We have relations with Armenia; these relations are close, allied, but at the same time, they are complex, given how the West is trying to subjugate Armenia,” Lavrov said.

He added that Western countries seek to weaken Armenia’s economic and trade ties with its partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the EAEU.

Commenting on recent talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Lavrov said Russia would welcome any agreement between China and the United States on American energy supplies.

He also stressed that Moscow does not interfere in the trade relations of other countries and does not ask China to coordinate its economic plans with Russia.

Speaking about BRICS, Lavrov said various countries around the world are expressing interest in joining the bloc despite pressure from “Western countries,” including the US, which he said has “publicly declared BRICS to be practically the main enemy of progress.”

He added that BRICS “will not rush” to expand membership for now because the bloc doubled its ranks several years ago and needs time to adapt to working in a significantly expanded format.

Lavrov also said BRICS countries would oppose “Western attempts” to divert the agenda of the upcoming G20 summit toward what he described as “scandalous topics.”