Minsk: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the Biden administration of obstructing efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, warning that U.S. policies have pushed the region to the brink of a major war. Speaking at the plenary session of the 2nd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, Lavrov highlighted the escalating situation in the Middle Eastern part of Eurasia. According to Azeri-Press news agency, Lavrov criticized the U.S. for its unilateral withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear program agreements, which were sanctioned by the UN Security Council. He also pointed to Washington's attempt to monopolize the Arab-Israeli settlement process, describing the consequences as catastrophic, leading to significant destabilization in the region. Lavrov asserted that the current U.S. administration is blocking efforts to resolve the ongoing tragedy faced by the Palestinian people. Lavrov further stated that while Russia condemns terrorism in all its forms, it also strongly op poses the "collective punishment" of residents in Gaza and the West Bank. He highlighted the disparity in civilian casualties, noting that in one year of Israeli operations, the number of Palestinian civilian deaths has been double that of civilian casualties on both sides in the decade following the coup in Kyiv. Lavrov urged consideration of these figures, emphasizing the severity of the situation.