Russian, Iranian FMs agree to assist in settlement of Venezuelan crisis

MOSCOW, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif agreed on Tuesday to work towards a settlement of the Venezuelan crisis.

The two top diplomats discussed the current situation in Venezuela during a phone conversation at the initiative of the Iranian side, the Russian foreign Ministry said in a brief statement.

They expressed "readiness to contribute, on the basis of the principles of the UN (United Nations) Charter, to the efforts of the international community to find mutual understanding between the responsible political forces of Venezuela."

These efforts should be in the interests of ensuring Venezuela's internal peace and the earliest possible solution of pressing social and economic tasks, the statement said.

Russian Deputy foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov is scheduled to meet U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams in Rome later on Tuesday.

Russia has said repeatedly that it opposes foreign interference, especially armed intervention, in Venezuela's internal affairs and called for dialogue between the government and the opposition.