DUBAI, October 12. /TASS/. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ashgabat that he called on Russia to take a more pro-active stance concerning Israel’s actions leading to mass deaths of civilians in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

"We discussed regional issues, in particular, that Russia must play a more active role concerning the crimes committed by the Zionist regime (Israel - TASS) against women and children in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip," he said in a video released by his press service.

The Iranian president noted during the talks that European countries and the United States are not interested in deescalating the situation in the Middle East, which has escalated dramatically because Israel doesn’t recognize "any international legal and humanitarian standards."

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Interconnection of Times and Civilizations - Basis of Peace and Development international forum in Ashgabat.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on October 4 that the United States and its allies are backing Israel in the conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon only to get their hands on the Middle East's resources.