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Sergey Lavrov on India's Role in US-Iran Tensions and the Strait of Hormuz

Saturday, May 16, 2026
5 min read
Sergey Lavrov on India's Role in US-Iran Tensions and the Strait of Hormuz

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, spoke on Friday. He suggested India could actually play a big, long-term diplomatic role in easing the friction between the United States and Iran. That’s while noting Pakistan is currently helping set up immediate talks between those two sides.

He was talking after the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. Lavrov brought up India’s diplomatic history, how much influence it has now, especially with all the rising tensions over West Asia. The whole conflict is also raising serious alarms about energy supplies, about shipping routes, you know? Things like the Strait of Hormuz .

“Pakistan is helping establish dialogues between the US and Iran to sort out these urgent problems,” Lavrov said. “If they want a mediator for Iran and its Arab friends in the long run, India could step in. India has that diplomatic experience, after all.”

This came at a time when India is pushing hard with Gulf nations. People are worried about a prolonged regional fight. And the price of crude oil keeps climbing. There’s this fear of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz , which is one of the most vital shipping lanes globally. India depends heavily on that region for oil imports.

The minister also stressed India’s direct stake in keeping West Asia stable. Especially since India is currently chairing BRICS, and it’s one of the biggest energy consumers out there.

Lavrov then pushed back on the idea of a formal mediation structure. He said BRICS shouldn't actually act as the mediator in these conflicts. Individual nations should handle things.

“The most important thing is to stop this,” he stated. “I don’t think BRICS is the right body to mediate. But individual members, especially those worried about navigation in the Strait of Hormuz , they could help.”

He shifted the focus then. Accusations flew around. Without naming names, he said some countries are actively trying to make things worse between Iran and its Arab neighbors. Russia, he implied, is trying to work toward reducing that tension, encouraging some kind of dialogue.

“They are trying,” he insisted. “Other countries are trying to stir up this aggression. To instil this hostility in these relations. I believe this hostility against Iran was motivated, among other things, by trying to antagonize Iran and its Arab neighbors.”

“We need to understand the real roots of every conflict,” he added. “It’s unprovoked aggression by the US and Israel.”

These remarks came right after Prime Minister Modi had been touring the UAE. It was part of a five-nation trip meant to boost India’s strategic and economic ties with Gulf and European countries.

Lavrov also confirmed that Modi was planning to head over to Russia later this year for the BRICS summit. They were preparing for that big meeting. Modi had recently reaffirmed that this year would be his turn to visit Russia. So they were gearing up for that top-level event.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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