MOSCOW (Dispatches) -- Russia hailed on Monday an Iranian initiative to conclude a non-aggression pact with the Persian Gulf countries.
"Perhaps, agreeing not to attack one another is the first step toward reducing tensions. We would consider such an agreement as a proper one," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said here after meeting his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.
He cited a previous Russian offer to Arab countries to help work out a security conception, suggesting transparency in military affairs, joint military exercises and other confidence-building measures among Arab countries, the UN, EU and five permanent members of the UN Security Council as guarantors.
"So far, there is no common position among the Arabs on this matter," he said.
Commenting the deployment of the 1,500 U.S. troops in the Middle East, Lavrov said: "Any growth of military potential will lead to the new risks."
"As for President Trump’s decision to send 1,500 troops in addition to those deployed in the Middle East and North Africa region, well, you know, always when the military potential grows, the risks increase. I very much hope that the sensible voices that are heard from Washington, including the respected former military leaders, politicians, diplomats about the recklessness of the idea of war against Iran, will be heard," Lavrov said.
Iran's Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif proposed the non-aggression pact during his visit to Baghdad.