Russia says urging Gulf nations to consider a joint security mechanism

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow has been urging Gulf countries to consider a common security mechanism for the region.

"We have been suggesting to the Gulf countries to think about collective security mechanisms... starting with confidence building measures and inviting each other to military exercises," Lavrov told a security conference in New Delhi.

Tensions in the Gulf have risen following the U.S. killing of Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani and a retaliatory missile attack by Iran on U.S. forces in Iraq.