Russian FM Lavrov meets Iranian officials in Tehran; Iran calls for end to naval blockade and war

What happened: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Tehran and met with Iranian officials, and Iranian officials said they want an end to a naval blockade and war. Sources and uncertainty: Reuters, Iranian media and a Pakistani official reported that Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is expected to arrive in Tehran within hours for talks; BBC News Persian reported Lavrov met with Masoud Pezeshkian and Abbas Araghchi and quoted Lavrov as saying Russia will not abandon cooperation with Iran. Details: - Reuters and Iranian outlets, citing a Pakistani official, said Field Marshal Asim Munir will visit Tehran for meetings; those reports noted Pakistan has played an active role in talks between Tehran and Washington over the past nine months and that an Islamabad memorandum that Munir helped shape remains one of the items Iran says it requires before returning to negotiations with the United States. - BBC News Persian reported that Sergei Lavrov met Masoud Pezeshkian and Abbas Araghchi in Tehran and quoted Lavrov saying Moscow will not end economic, investment and nuclear cooperation with Iran. - Iranian commentary reported Lavrov held talks on Monday, 19 October 2026 (27 Mehr 1405), with Pezeshkian and Araghchi; in a joint news conference Lavrov reiterated Russia’s continued cooperation with Iran, and Araghchi described the U.S. naval blockade and what he called a U.S. maritime campaign against Iran as the main source of insecurity in the Persian Gulf.