Baghdad, Nov 22 (IANS) Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the current situation in the Middle East and energy cooperation within the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies known as OPEC Plus.

A statement by his media office said that al-Sudani received a phone call from Putin, during which the two discussed bilateral ties as well as the evolving situation in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

The two sides stressed the need for major countries to exert greater efforts to prevent the escalation in Gaza and Lebanon, which could jeopardise regional and global stability, the statement said.

On energy issues, they highlighted the importance of coordination among all concerned countries within OPEC and the OPEC Plus group to stabilise oil and gas prices, ensuring fair pricing for both producers and consumers, it added.