New York, September 26 (QNA) - Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, said repeated armed confrontations in the Gulf region have caused clear damage to global shipping and trade, calling for restored trust between Iran and Arab Gulf states and a settlement of the Strait of Hormuz dispute through political and diplomatic means that would strengthen security and stability in the region.

Speaking on behalf of his country on Saturday at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov said Moscow supports a return to previous understandings between the United States and Iran, pointing to the Islamabad Memorandum previously reached between the two sides as a basis that could be revisited to resume dialogue and advance de-escalation efforts. He affirmed Russia's readiness to contribute constructively to achieving stability in the Middle East.

On Ukraine, Lavrov said continued Western military aid to Ukraine is obstructing efforts toward a political settlement, accusing Europe of seeking to block peace talks that the Trump administration is pursuing. He emphasized Moscow's commitment to continuing negotiations to achieve a sustainable and just peace.

Russia's foreign minister reiterated his country's support for establishing a Palestinian state based on United Nations resolutions, noting that the Security Council approved a Gaza ceasefire plan roughly a year ago, but peace has not been achieved. The humanitarian situation remains dire, he said, while conditions in the West Bank continue to deteriorate.

Lavrov warned that continued Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank could make establishing a Palestinian state impossible due to the shrinking geographic space available for it.

He stressed that the time has come to ensure the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling it the principal issue in the Middle East, and emphasized the importance of implementing United Nations resolutions and reviving the political process based on a two-state solution.

On the international system, Lavrov said global politics is undergoing fundamental shifts toward a multipolar order, calling for commitment to the UN Charter and the principle of equal and indivisible security, and opposing any state or group of states from seeking to enhance its security at the expense of others' security.

Russia also voiced support for expanding representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America in the Security Council, noting his country's backing for Brazil and India as candidates for permanent seats. He called for the United Nations to play a central role in discussions on international information security.

On artificial intelligence, Lavrov called for rules governing the use of these technologies to be based on equality and participation by all nations, affirming Russia's support for a Chinese initiative aimed at establishing an international organization for cooperation in artificial intelligence. (QNA)