MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexander Kinshchak, have held meetings with Mohammad AliBek, an aide to the Iranian Foreign Minister and Director General for Persian Gulf Affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The parties discussed the situation in the Persian Gulf region and examined the state of affairs in Yemen in detail, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"A thorough exchange of views took place regarding the current situation in the Persian Gulf region," the Russian Foreign Ministry stated. "The importance of preventing a resurgence of large-scale military confrontation in the region was emphasized, as was the need to restart a full-fledged political and diplomatic process aimed at reaching a comprehensive and long-term peace agreement that accounts for the interests of all states located there."

Furthermore, the situation in and around Yemen was examined in detail during the consultations. "The immediate cessation of hostilities in that country and the creation of conditions for a return to the negotiation process - involving all influential Yemeni political forces - were identified as top priorities," the Foreign Ministry noted.

The Russian side has reaffirmed its readiness to contribute to the lasting stabilization of the situation in the strategically important Persian Gulf region, including through proposals set out in the concept for ensuring collective security in the region, which was updated by the Russian Foreign Ministry in May.