MOSCOW, Jan 27: Russia expects the United States to explain its growing military presence in the Middle East when the countries next meet to discuss the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian news agencies on Saturday.

“I have seen no change in Washington's fairly aggressive rhetoric,” Mr Lavrov said. “It continues, just like its actions to increase the military presence in the region. It will be one of the questions which we want to clarify in Washington. What's it all about?”

Mr Lavrov also said unilateral US sanctions against Iran would be counterproductive to efforts to resolve the problem of Iran's nuclear ambitions and would force Tehran out of the negotiating process.

Instead, he said, Iran and Syria should understand that they were expected to play a positive role and that in return they would receive an appropriate position in the regional dialogue.

“We are deeply convinced that Iran and Syria should not be isolated but brought into the peace process,” said Mr Lavrov, speaking on his return from a visit to India with President Vladimir Putin.

“In general, the problems that exist in the Middle East and in the surrounding region are linked to muddle-headed ideas about prestige.

Someone says something once and from then on he can't break with this principle. This is an inflexible policy, and it's short-sighted.”—Reuters