Bahrain’s King, Russian foreign minister stress coordination to enhance regional security

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed the importance of coordination to bolster regional security and protect waterways and trade routes in talks Sunday.

The discussions came as the king received Lavrov, who arrived in the Gulf country on Saturday and took part on Sunday in the ninth joint ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Russia.

The meeting also included an “exchange of views on key regional and international issues and ongoing efforts to promote security, stability and peace in the region,” according to the Bahrain News Agency.

The two sides reviewed bilateral ties, with the king reaffirming their “mutual commitment to expanding cooperation across various sectors in line with the aspirations of both countries and peoples.”

Lavrov thanked the king for the warm welcome and his efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, the outlet added.

The discussions came amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the US over freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a major passage for global oil and gas shipments.

Maritime traffic along the waterway has been severely disrupted since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.