Iran urges de-escalation amid worst India-Pakistan clashes in decades

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has praised India and Pakistan’s efforts to prevent the escalation of tensions. 

In a phone call with Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday, Araghchi discussed the latest security developments in South Asia following the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan.

Araghchi traveled to India following a one-day visit to Pakistan, where he engaged in discussions with senior officials.

Tensions between the neighbors have escalated following a deadly terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, predominantly Hindu tourists.

Pakistan has denied any involvement and has called for an impartial international investigation.​

Referencing his discussions with Indian officials, Araghchi emphasized the importance of both parties’ efforts to prevent further escalation and reduce tensions.

Ishaq Dar, for his part, outlined the current regional situation and explained his country’s position. He stated that Pakistan seeks no escalation of tensions with India. 

India and Pakistan engaged in heavy artillery exchanges along their contested frontier early Wednesday, following New Delhi’s launch of “Operation Sindoor,” a series of missile strikes targeting sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

At least 31 civilians were killed and 46 others injured in the Indian airstrikes and ensuing border shelling in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

In his meeting with India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Thursday, Araghchi highlighted the importance of stability and security in the South Asian region for Iran and the world.

He expressed hope that recent tensions in the area will be resolved through foresight and responsible determination by the involved parties.

The two sides underscored the necessity of cooperation and assistance to reduce tensions, protect peace and stability, and prevent the escalation of conflicts and disputes.

Iran, India hold 20th Joint Committee Meeting

In a post on his X account on Thursday, Jaishankar wrote that Iran and India did a “comprehensive review of our bilateral cooperation and agreed on next steps in many domains.”

 He added that they held wide-ranging discussions on regional and global developments.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told IRNA that the Foreign Minister’s visit to India was conducted as part of Iran’s regular consultations with neighboring and friendly countries, aimed at discussing bilateral issues, regional developments, and international affairs.

“This visit, marking Dr. Araghchi’s first official trip to India as Foreign Minister, holds particular significance as it took place during a critical period coinciding with security developments in South Asia,” he said.

Iran, India sign two MoUs

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, announced that during the 20th India-Iran Joint Committee Meeting, the foreign ministers of Iran and India witnessed the exchange of MoU on Implementation of the Bilateral Agreement on Customs Cooperation and MoU on Medical Products Regulation.

Iran, India pledge deeper bilateral ties

Araghchi, during his diplomatic consultations in India, met with the Indian President Droupadi Murmu.

During the meeting, both sides highlighted the diverse capacities and multifaceted aspects of Iran-India relations across various sectors, reaffirming the two nations’ determination to deepen bilateral ties.

They also expressed readiness to expand cooperation in agriculture, transportation, communications, energy, healthcare, and science & technology.