Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday accused the US of seeking dominance in global energy markets.
In an interview with France Televisions, Lavrov pointed to official statements and documents indicating the US ambition for energy supremacy, citing Venezuela as a direct example.
"We see the interest of the United States. They have stated this. There are official documents or statements by officials stating that they will strive for dominance in global energy markets," he said.
He added: "Venezuela is a direct example. It was claimed that 'the drug-trafficking regime must be removed.' In the end, it all ended with the US taking control of Venezuela's oil industry."
According to him, a similar dynamic is unfolding with Iran, where US President Donald Trump has openly expressed interest in controlling the strategic waterway.
"Trump essentially said in plain language that he wants to control the Strait of Hormuz together with Iran and all hydrocarbon shipments passing through it," the head of Russian diplomacy said.
Lavrov emphasized that the key to resolving the situation around Iran lies in ending US and Israeli aggression, rejecting the framing that separates the conflict into two distinct wars.
"Recently, our Arab friends have begun to say that there are two wars. One war is between the US and Israel against Iran, which they have nothing to do with. The second is, in their words, an unprovoked attack by Iran on various facilities in the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf," the minister noted.
He emphasized that he finds it difficult to accept such logic, because the root cause -- the US-Israeli aggression -- "is always the key to a settlement."
Addressing recent incidents at sea, Lavrov dismissed suggestions that Russia was involved in a drone attack on the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Baltic Sea.
"We have repeatedly stated at the official level that we do not strike civilian targets in Ukraine, nor any ships in international waters belonging to states that are not in a state of official war with us," he said.
Lavrov also reaffirmed Russia's reliability as an energy partner, stating that Moscow will fulfill all its resource obligations under any economic conditions.
The minister further commented on French President Emmanuel Macron's recent statements regarding Paris' intention to increase its nuclear potential, suggesting that such remarks indicate a reluctance to engage in disarmament negotiations.
Earlier, Lavrov said that the US is craving to take control of all global energy resources.
