US military reinforcements in Mideast risk 'escalation', Russia warns

The United States' reinforcement of its military presence in the Middle East risks an "escalation" of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

Speaking about the US deployment of warships to the region during a meeting in Tehran on Monday, Lavrov said "the more a state takes this kind of proactive measures, the greater the risk and the danger of an escalation of the conflict".

He also said the United States was "already among the countries intervening the most" since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, and subsequent reprisals by Israeli forces on Gaza.

But Lavrov acknowledged that efforts by Washington as well as the European Union were necessary in order to secure a diplomatic resolution of the latest fighting.

"We have to act on the basis of the joint potential of countries in the region, and of the European Union and, probably, the United States, and it is difficult to do without them," he said.

Lavrov was in Tehran for talks with regional counterparts over the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He said participants had also discussed the Israel-Palestine conflict, on which they had "very similar positions".

"Russia does not accept any manifestation of terrorism, any manifestation of violence in violation of international humanitarian law, including the indiscriminate use of force," he said.

Putin calls 'unhindered access' for Gaza humanitarian aid

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for "unhindered access" for humanitarian aid to enter Palestine's Gaza, in a telephone call with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Kremlin said.

According to a readout of the call from the Kremlin, the two leaders "expressed serious concern about the growing number of civilian casualties and stressed the fundamental importance of an early ceasefire, the evacuation of foreign citizens from Gaza and of ensuring unhindered access to the enclave for humanitarian aid".

The United Nations says Gaza needs about 100 aid trucks a day to meet the needs of its 2.4 million people, nearly half of whom have been displaced by Israel's bombardment in response to the October 7. attack.

About a dozen aid trucks — the third convoy in three days — arrived in Gaza on Monday via the Rafah crossing with Egypt.

The United States has vowed to ensure a "continued flow" of relief items into Gaza, where Israel has cut off most water as well as food, power and fuel supplies.

Putin and Lula also discussed "urgent and effective" measures that could be brought at the UN — where Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month — the Kremlin said, without providing details.