DUBAI, November 19. /TASS/. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has called on Moscow to play a more active role in peace efforts in the Middle East, the Iranian foreign ministry said on Sunday after his phone call with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

"Amir-Abdollahian said that it is important to prevent ethnic purges and forced migration of residents of Gaza and the West Bank. He stressed the need for Russia to play a more active role in efforts toward peace and security in the region," it said.

Earlier in the day, the Russian foreign ministry said that Lavrov and Amir-Abdollahian discussed over the phone the situation in the zone of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The ministers stressed the need for a ceasefire by both the Palestinian and Israeli sides, as well as for relief aid to the civilian population. Apart from that, the two top diplomats discussed the schedule of further contacts and other current issues on the bilateral and international agenda.