Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held the United States and Israel solely responsible for the escalating insecurity along strategic international maritime routes and inside the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi delivered the statement on Monday (October 19, 2026) during a joint press conference in Tehran with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who arrived on his first official visit to Iran since the recent intensification of Middle East hostilities, AFP confirmed.
“The war imposed by the United States and the Zionist regime, alongside illegal economic sanctions, constitutes the primary source of insecurity in our region, specifically across the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Araghchi stated.
Russian Envoy Delivers Putin’s Message: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Tehran bearing a special message from President Vladimir Putin aimed at preventing the regional conflict from escalating into an all-out war. Lavrov held separate high-level bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi.
Moscow Proposes Mediation: Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei noted that indirect diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran remain entirely stalled. Russia seeks to act as an intermediary to facilitate de-escalation and prevent broader regional military confrontation.
Deepening Moscow-Tehran Axis: Following western sanctions since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, bilateral military, economic, and diplomatic cooperation between Russia and Iran has reached unprecedented levels.
Global Energy Fallout: Following attempts to target Iranian nuclear infrastructure, Tehran halted maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Under normal conditions, approximately 20% of the world’s maritime crude oil and a vast share of global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) transit through this choke point, creating severe global energy shortages and inflationary pressures.
