MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty highlighted the need to step up efforts to resolve the situation in the Middle East on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The foreign ministers of Russia and Egypt thoroughly discussed the explosive situation in the Middle East resulting from the US-Israeli aggression against Iran. Both parties emphasized the urgent need to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to settle disagreements while taking into account the legitimate interests of all countries in the region," the statement reads.

The top diplomats also "touched upon pressing issues related to multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Egypt, including the schedule of upcoming contacts." "The parties reaffirmed their determination to continue advancing bilateral partnership, expanding trade and economic cooperation, and implementing large-scale infrastructure projects," the Russian Foreign Ministry added.