External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his counterparts from Russia, France and the European Union on Wednesday to discuss the Iran-US conflict as part of New Delhi’s outreach to key partners to coordinate positions on the fallout of tensions in West Asia.
Jaishankar said on social media that he shared India’s “assessments on the conflict in West Asia and related diplomatic efforts” with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. They also reviewed the bilateral cooperation agenda.
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The Russian embassy said in a statement that Lavrov stressed the need for “immediate normalization” of the situation. The statement stated that the two foreign ministers expressed their support for the contribution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS to “efforts aimed at calming the situation and creating conditions to achieve a sustainable settlement based on a balance of the legitimate interests of all parties.”
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Jaishankar said he had a “useful discussion” with European Union Foreign and Security Policy Coordinator Kaja Kallas on the conflict in West Asia and its repercussions. Jaishankar said he also had an “exchange of assessments” with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Lavrov also spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who stressed his country’s “determination to continue defending its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Araqchi said the UN Security Council must address “the blatant violation of international peace and security resulting from the aggressive actions” of Israel and the United States, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Lavrov
He stressed his condemnation of the American and Israeli military aggression against Iran, and declared “Russia’s readiness to provide its good offices to enhance regional security.”
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The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a separate reading during a phone call between Araghchi and Jaishankar on Tuesday that the Iranian Foreign Minister provided details of “crimes” committed by the United States and Israel against Iran, including a missile attack on a girls’ primary school in Minab on the first day of the war and large-scale attacks on civilian sites and public service centers.
Araqchi also discussed the consequences of “US and Israeli military aggression on shipping security” through the Strait of Hormuz, and said that the “unsafe situation and problems” in the Persian Gulf are “a result of aggressive and destabilizing actions” by the United States.
