As the conflict in West Asia has escalated significantly after Israel and Iran threatened each other with an endless series of retaliatory actions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan city of Russia. of.
India has expressed “deep concern” over the current situation in West Asia and is calling for “dialogue and diplomacy” to reduce tensions in the region known as the Middle East.
The meeting between the two leaders came amid the year-long Israel-Hamas war and Israel-Hezbollah conflict and Tel Aviv vowing to take massive retaliation after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against Israel.
India’s attempt to disturb peace
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian stressed the need for peace in the region and emphasized “New Delhi’s role in de-escalating the Middle East crisis” given his good relations with all parties involved.
India, which has friendly relations with almost all countries, finds itself in a unique position to be able to mediate between Israel and Iran. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu three weeks ago and today he met the Iranian President.
This is not the only case where New Delhi is trying to broker peace between the warring parties. PM Modi is also trying to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine which have been at war since 2022. Here too, Prime Minister Modi shares a strong bond with both Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Zelensky.
PM Modi has visited Russia twice in three months and during this period also visited Ukraine. He also reportedly sent a “peace plan” to President Putin last month when National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met the Russian president in Moscow.
Chabahar Port and INST Corridor
During the meeting, PM Modi and President Pezeshkian also discussed India-Iran bilateral relations and ways to strengthen it. Among several key areas of cooperation, the two leaders discussed strategic projects such as the Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor or INSTC.
After the meeting, PM Modi discussed ways to deepen ties in the future through social media platforms.” He also shared the same post in Persian.
what else was discussed
The Ministry of External Affairs gave more details about what the two leaders discussed, as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a press briefing in which he said that PM Modi and President Pezeshkian had “meaningful discussions”, adding that “both leaders Discussed the situation in West Asia. Prime Minister Modi expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict and reiterated India’s call for protection of civilians and prevention of harm to civilians. He stressed the need for dialogue and diplomacy to reduce tensions.
Mr Misri further said that “President Pejaskian stressed the need for peace and harmony in the region and India can play a role in de-escalating this conflict, given its good relations with all parties involved.”
The Foreign Secretary further said that PM Modi congratulated President Pezeshkian on his election victory and also welcomed Iran to the BRICS forum, which it has officially joined from this year.
Speaking about the millennium-old ties between the two countries, the Foreign Secretary said, “The two leaders emphasized the shared historical and civilizational ties between the two countries and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation.”
“The discussion focused on key areas of cooperation, especially the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which are important for enhancing regional connectivity and economic partnership,” Mr Misri said.
redevelopment of afghanistan
Regarding the bilateral talks, the Ministry of External Affairs said in its statement that the two leaders said that “the signing of the long-term contract for Chabahar Port is an important milestone in bilateral relations.”
It further said that the two leaders reaffirmed its importance for the reconstruction and redevelopment of Afghanistan and enhancing trade and economic ties with Central Asia.
India’s support to Iran
President Pezeshkian acknowledged India’s role in Iran’s inclusion in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or SCO and BRICS forums. “They agreed to continue their cooperation in various international fora,” the Foreign Secretary said at a press conference.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Iranian President Pezeshkian to visit India soon,” adding that “President Pezeshkian has accepted the invitation.”
It was their first meeting since Mr. Pezeshkian became Iran’s president in July. He replaced President Ibrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.