Lavrov is speaking at a meeting of the embassy's round table. The main thing

On March 5, the Russian Foreign Minister speaks at the 11th Embassy round table "The Ukrainian Crisis. Digital threats and international Information security". The main statements of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia are in the material of Izvestia.

About the situation in the Middle East

During the meeting, the Foreign Minister expressed his condolences for any civilian casualties caused by the crisis in the Middle East.

"What is currently unfolding in the Middle East as a result of the aggression of Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran. I cannot fail to mention this crisis, which is now constantly on the front pages, on TV screens, and on social networks, and which is indeed fraught with colossal consequences, negative consequences for the whole world, for global stability and the global economy, for everything that was once called globalization in the name of the prosperity of all mankind. It's all ruined. Civilians are suffering," Lavrov said.

He also expressed confidence that one of the goals of the war was to create a split between the countries of the Persian Gulf — Iran and its Arab neighbors, between which a positive normalization process has been observed in recent years until recently.

"Many people are currently arguing about the goals [of the military operation against Iran], including in the United States, many politicians cannot understand what the purpose of this operation is," the Russian foreign minister said.

Lavrov also noted that the West was doing everything to prevent the promotion of a positive agenda in the [Persian] Gulf zone.

"The West, as this situation with aggression against Iran has now proved, acts on the principle of "either-or" — "either with us or against us." And the main thing, of course, in all this: "Divide and conquer." In this case, we can probably say: "Divide, pit against each other and rule," Lavrov said.

The Foreign Minister emphasized that the Persian monarchies did not condemn the actions of the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as the killing of female students who died in an attack on an Iranian school.

Separately, Lavrov noted that the chance of reaching an agreement on the crisis in the Middle East is still slim.

"There is still a small chance that this (the crisis in the Middle East region - Ed.) will end with the realization of the senselessness of such adventures in the future and the realization of the inevitability of reaching agreements that will be sustainable, mutually respectful, based on the principles of indivisibility, security, there is always a chance. So far, it is scanty," the minister said.

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On Russia's participation in the settlement of the conflict in the Middle East

Lavrov pointed out that Russia and its partners will do everything to help create an atmosphere that will make an operation against Iran impossible.

"We are talking about our close friends. All those who suffer from the aggression of the United States and Israel are our strategic partners, and we maintain a dialogue with them. We will do everything together with other peace—loving members of the international community, including in the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, to help create an atmosphere that will make this operation completely impossible," he said.

"Let's all stand together for the cessation of any hostilities, starting with a complete moratorium on attacks that lead to civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, as is the case in many Arab countries," the Foreign minister said.

About the conflict in Ukraine

Lavrov pointed out that Western countries wanted to destroy Russia when they unleashed a conflict against it at the hands of the Kiev regime. This topic, he said, continues to be the main one for Russia in international politics.

"It is the main one, first of all, because the goal of the war against Russia, which was being prepared and eventually unleashed by the Western hands of the Ukrainian regime, is to weaken, as they themselves say, to inflict a strategic defeat on our country. And there is every reason to believe that this hides such a, you know, maximum desire to destroy our country," suggested the head of the diplomatic department.

Lavrov also recalled that the West's "either with us or with Russia" approach has not disappeared in recent years.

"The same approach was especially evident in the attempt to drag Ukraine into NATO, although they had been warning about the perniciousness and unacceptability of these efforts at least since the Munich speech of President (Russian Federation Vladimir) Putin in 2007," he said.

Lavrov also expressed himself about the negotiations on Ukraine: "We now see no reason to suspect that these negotiations are also a cover. We don't see it because we are in direct contact with our American colleagues."

"In Anchorage, the spirit was far from the most important thing. The spirit is the atmosphere, it was friendly, mutually respectful, constructive. But the spirit is evaporating," the Foreign Minister noted, adding that Russia is faithful to the understandings that were clearly achieved at the suggestion of the United States in Alaska.

Lavrov also added that in the seven months since Anchorage, Ukrainians and Europeans have made and continue to make every effort to redo and rewrite the understanding of Anchorage.

The Russian Foreign Minister pointed out that large Western companies, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, SpaceX, openly sponsor the activities of Ukrainian hackers.

"Let's not forget that back in 2023, three years ago, several NATO countries, the European Union and, I would like to draw your attention, the World Bank, created the so-called Tallinn mechanism, through which a quarter of a billion euros were raised for the needs of hackers of the Kiev regime. And Kiev has been connected to the work of NATO's main cyber polygon, which is located in Estonia, the so—called Tallinn Cyber Defense Center," the minister recalled.

He added that leading American corporations are actively contributing to this work. Google, Microsoft, Amazon, SpaceX and others are still providing assistance to the regime of [Vladimir] Zelensky.

"Among corporations, but with a slightly different profile, I will mention Starlink. Elon Musk has publicly said that he is still assisting Ukrainians in the war against Russia," the foreign minister said.

About terrorist attacks in Ukraine

The minister also paid attention to the attack on the Russian gas carrier Arctic Metagaz.

"There are many examples that characterize the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime... The Metagaz gas carrier, which was absolutely legally following its course, was destroyed from the shores of Libya, and the Ukrainian trace, well, by and large, they don't even hide it," Lavrov said.

The Russian Foreign Minister added that in addition to destroying physical infrastructure, Ukrainian terrorists are actively involved in the field of information security, engaging in cyberterrorism, targeting civilian facilities (banks, power plants, transport system).

"There are many examples here that additionally characterize the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime, which show that, in addition to physically undermining infrastructure facilities that ensure the normal functioning of the global economy, as was done with the Nord Streams, as planned — President [Russian President Vladimir Putin] said this again yesterday — to undermine "Turkish Stream, Blue Stream," said the head of the diplomatic department.

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About NATO's participation in the war against Iran

Lavrov called it indicative that NATO is now being dragged into the war that the United States and Israel have unleashed against Iran. Separately, the Foreign Minister quoted the words of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: "We have prepared for this. What we are doing at the moment within the framework of NATO is to ensure the protection of every inch of the alliance's territory in a full 360—degree format."

"That is, he used the well-known image of [the former German Foreign Minister] Annalena Burbok is about 360 degrees, but in a slightly different context. And the meaning of his statements is: dear members of the international community, know that NATO's interests are where we tell you to be," the minister said.