MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke in favor of a prompt ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and expressed their concerns over the tense situation in the Red Sea during the meeting on the UN sidelines, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The sides had a substantial exchange of opinion on the ongoing Middle East agenda," the Ministry said. "The foreign ministers spoke in favor of a prompt ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and providing humanitarian assistance to the residents of the enclave. The sides stated their shared concerns over the tense situation in the Red Sea, which has sharply degraded due to the reckless force actions of the US and a number of joined states against Yemen."

The two ministers discussed a wide array of bilateral agenda issues with an emphasis on the implementation of the agreements, achieved at the highest-level, including the December 7, 2023, meeting of presidents of Russia and Iran.

"The sides underscored the mutual readiness for further deepening of the mutually beneficial practical cooperation in all priority areas," the ministry underscored.