By Eric Vandenbroeck and co-workers
S Jaishankar has hailed direct talks
with Iran
India's Minister of
External Affairs S Jaishankar has hailed direct talks with Iran as the most
effective way to restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and suggested
that the talks with the Iranians will continue as they are yielding results.
Jaishankar on Sunday (Mar 16) also spoke to foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia
and the UAE and discussed the situation in West Asia. On Mar 12, India's crude
vessel passed through the Strait of Hormuz and reached Mumbai Port safely. On
Mar 15, two more LPG tankers passed the strategic chokepoint safely.
Reportedly, the Indian Navy has deployed at least three warships in the Gulf of
Oman to monitor and provide air-defense cover for India-bound merchant traffic.
In an interview with
the Financial Times, Jaishankar said, “Certainly, from India’s
perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a
solution than we don’t…While this is a welcome development, there is
continuing conversation because there is continued work on that." Stating
that his conversation has “yielded some results," he clarified that there
was no “blanket arrangement” for Indian-flagged ships and that Iran had not
received anything in exchange. When asked whether European countries could
replicate India’s arrangement, Jaishankar said each relationship with Iran
“stands on its own merits.” About Indian ships crossing the Hormuz, Jaishankar
highlighted that it was an example of “what diplomacy could bring.”
Jaishankar speaks with his Saudi Arabia and UAE
counterparts:
After Jaishankar held
the phone conversations with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on
Saturday night, Jaishankar posted on X: “Discussed ongoing developments related
to the conflict in West Asia.” On the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, Jaishankar said: “Exchanged views on various aspects of the regional
situation.” Earlier on Thursday night, Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian
counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
Jaishankar and his
Iranian counterpart first spoke on Feb 28 when the joint US-Israeli strikes
began. The second call between the two took place on March 5, following the
death of the Supreme Leader. During this call, the Iranian Foreign Minister
expressed his country's thanks for India's “humane gesture” in allowing the
Iranian vessel IRIS Lavan to dock in Kochi due to technical issues. Meanwhile,
the Indian Prime Minister has spoken to leaders of several countries in West
Asia, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran's President
Masoud Pezeshkian.
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