00:00Welcome back. As diplomatic efforts continue across the Middle East, Russia says lasting
00:06stability will depend on improving relations between Iran and its Arab neighbors. In an
00:12interview with RT, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accuses outside forces of trying to
00:17prevent that normalization process and is calling for greater regional dialogue and non-aggression.
00:27Simply having a platform for dialogue is important in itself. On May the 15th, in mid-May,
00:32if I recall correctly, BRICS foreign ministers held a meeting attended by both Iran and the
00:37UAE. There was a fairly heated exchange between them, but even so, India, which chaired the
00:42meeting, along with other BRICS countries in attendance, worked to find ways of encouraging
00:47dialogue between the UAE and Iran. Sooner or later, that dialogue has to take place.
00:52We can already see a willingness on the part of several other Arab states, including
00:57Saudi Arabia, to engage in such process. And, of course, those who set this whole chain of
01:02events in motion have no desire to see closer relations between the Arab states and Iran.
01:07In fact, they do not even want to see a normalization of relations.
01:11Russia's concept is built around precisely that objective. First and foremost, it calls
01:16for non-aggression. Incidentally, Saudi Arabia has recently begun discussing the idea of a
01:21non-aggression pact. As of her step, that would certainly be useful. But there are many additional
01:26measures that could follow, including agreements on transparency in military activities, limitations
01:31on military deployments and exercises, and other confidence-building measures.
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