MOSCOW (Realist English). Amid unprecedented escalation in the Persian Gulf region, Russia continues active diplomatic consultations with regional partners. According to the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, on April 7, Sergey Lavrov held a telephone conversation with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Lavrov and Al Nahyan: the need to halt hostilities
During a candid exchange of views, the sides discussed the ongoing escalation in the Persian Gulf. Lavrov stressed the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities, which are causing civilian casualties and inflicting serious damage to vital civilian infrastructure, including in countries not taking part in the armed confrontation.
The ministers reaffirmed their mutual commitment to maintaining close foreign policy coordination between Moscow and Abu Dhabi, with the aim of facilitating a peaceful resolution of the Middle East crisis on the basis of international law and with unconditional respect for the legitimate interests of the region’s states. The conversation also touched upon current issues of further developing the Russian-Emirati strategic partnership in line with agreements reached at the highest level.
The UAE has borne the brunt of Iranian missile and drone attacks since the start of the conflict
According to the UAE Ministry of Defense, since the beginning of Iranian attacks, the country’s air defense forces have intercepted a total of 519 ballistic missiles, 26 cruise missiles, and 2,210 UAVs. Ten people have been killed, including citizens of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Palestine, India, and Egypt, while the number of wounded has reached 217 people of various nationalities.
On April 6, an Iranian drone struck the building of the telecommunications company Du in Fujairah, and the following day a ballistic missile hit a communications facility in Sharjah, wounding two Pakistani citizens. Additionally, three Pakistani citizens were injured by falling debris from intercepted missiles in the port of Khor Fakkan.
On April 7, Anwar Gargash, adviser to the UAE president, stated that Iran must compensate neighboring countries for the damage caused by strikes on their territory in order to reach a long-term agreement. He emphasized that a ceasefire alone would not be enough — structural risks, including Iran’s nuclear program and its missile arsenal, must be addressed. Gargash also reaffirmed that the United States remains the UAE’s “main security partner.”
Ryabkov and the Pakistani ambassador: “unprovoked aggression” by the US and Israel
On the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov met with Pakistani Ambassador to Moscow Faisal Niaz Tirmizi. The sides discussed current issues on the international agenda, with an emphasis on regional and global security, arms control, and non-proliferation. Particular attention was paid to the situation resulting from the “unprovoked aggression of the United States and Israel against Iran” — a formulation contained in the official Russian Foreign Ministry statement. Moscow consistently advocates de-escalation and a political-diplomatic settlement of the crisis, ruling out further entanglement of regional countries in armed confrontation.
Amid diplomatic deadlock, Pakistan remains a key link in the negotiation process between Washington and Tehran
According to Reuters, Iran and the US have received a Pakistan-drafted plan for a cessation of hostilities, which provides for an immediate ceasefire followed by the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement within 15–20 days. However, Tehran insists on a permanent ceasefire and refuses to open the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary truce, while a White House official said the proposal has not yet been approved by the US president.
On April 7, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked Donald Trump to extend the deadline for reaching an agreement with Iran by two weeks, noting the need to open the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture. That same day, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar accused Israel of derailing the talks, stating that the attack on Tehran occurred at a moment when “both sides were ready to sit down at the negotiating table.” Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghaddam, called Pakistan’s mediation efforts “critical” and “positive and productive.”
