PM Modi meets Iranian President Pezeshkian for first time since Gulf War: What was discussed | Today’s news
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday for the first time since the outbreak of the Gulf War following the US and Israeli attacks on Tehran.
PM Modi held a Pezeshkian bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
In a post on X, Modi shared pictures of the meeting and said the two leaders discussed the prevailing situation in the region. He added that India would continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace in the region.
“Determined to strengthen friendship between India and Iran”
The leaders also reiterated their commitment to strengthen India’s longstanding friendship with Iran across various sectors.
“We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the coming times,” Modi wrote.
In a statement, the government said the leaders discussed bilateral ties apart from the evolving situation in West Asia. The Prime Minister also expressed concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and reiterated India’s position that all issues should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
“He called for the protection of freedom of navigation and trade and emphasized that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including commercial shipping and seafarers, must not be harmed under any circumstances,” the statement said.
The prime minister also told Pezeshkian that he was looking forward to welcoming him to India at the BRICS summit.
The situation in West Asia
The meeting comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions in West Asia, with Iran targeting US military bases in Jordan. According to a Reuters report citing the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the attack was a response to the US attack on Larak Island.
The ministry said US bases in Jordan were used to launch and support the attack on Larak. The attack reportedly killed and wounded members of the Iranian armed forces and civilians.
In addition to the US bases in Jordan, Iran also attacked the Al Minhad air base in the United Arab Emirates with drones on Monday, ranian state television reported, citing a military statement.
The military said the attack targeted locations where US forces and helicopters were stationed at the base.
Tanker attack in Hormuz
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also targeted a supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz with sea mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz, Iranian television reported.
Guards said the tanker was trying to pass through the waterway illegally. They warned that other ships violating its safety rules would face the same fate and said compliance with its regulations for passage through the Strait of Hormuz was mandatory.
