A video has gone viral on social media in which Randhir Jaiswal, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, is heard saying during a press conference that India stands with Israel in the war against Iran. Jaiswal is also heard saying that if reports about Iran attacking Indian commercial ships turn out to be true, New Delhi will give a harsher response to Tehran than it did to Pakistan.
The MEA’s fact-checking wing on Thursday clarified that the clip was fake and produced by artificial intelligence, urging people to remain alert against such fake videos.
The miscreants used footage of Randhir Jaiswal’s inter-ministerial briefing on developments in West Asia, held on March 11, to create the fake video. During the press conference, Jaiswal informed the media that the Indian Embassy in Tehran is fully functional and the government is helping Indians, including students and pilgrims, who wish to leave the country.
“Others are still there. Our embassy is in regular contact with them. We have also transferred some students, other visitors and pilgrims to different cities to ensure their safety. We are also helping – our embassy in Tehran is helping – people who want to cross the land border and go to Armenia and Azerbaijan, and from there they take commercial flights to return home. So this option is also available for those who want to take advantage of that and benefit from it. We are helping these people,” he said.
Read also: Middle East Airlines says India is helping in the return of its citizens from Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan
India has maintained its firm stance on the conflict in West Asia (also known as the Middle East), saying dialogue and diplomacy should continue to de-escalate tensions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that military conflicts alone cannot resolve any issue, whether in Ukraine or West Asia, when he made a statement at a joint press conference with the President of Finland earlier this month.
While addressing Parliament a few days ago, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India supports peace and calls for a return to dialogue and diplomacy. He added: “We call for stopping the escalation, restraint, and protecting civilians.”
He added that India will work with regional governments to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian citizens in the region, stressing that the country’s national interests – including energy security and trade flows – “will always remain paramount.”
