Lavrov met on Wednesday with heads of diplomatic missions of Arab states accredited in Moscow, following their request on Tuesday, which was granted, the diplomat said in a press briefing.

Zakharova said that during the exchange of views on the development of the situation in the Middle East, the main focus was on the unprecedented escalation of the ongoing violence.

It was also stressed that all parties involved should reject provocative actions, act with restraint and adopt a responsible approach in accordance with the well-known decisions of the United Nations and its Security Council, she added.

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