MOSCOW (SPUTNIK), May 8 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held urgent talks Thursday with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi as Moscow and Muscat intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader war across the Persian Gulf following weeks of escalating confrontation involving Iran, the US, and Israel.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two officials discussed "current aspects of the Middle East agenda" with particular attention to the deteriorating security situation in the Persian Gulf, where maritime disruptions, military deployments, and attacks on civilian infrastructure have fueled fears of a regional conflict spiraling beyond control. Anadolu Agency reported that both sides stressed the importance of avoid...