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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is all set to visit Iran on January 14-15 as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides, the Ministry of External (MEA) said on Saturday. Jaishankar’s visit to Iran comes amid the global tension over the attacks carried out by Houthi rebels in the Red sea. Houthi rebels in Yemen are backed by Iran.
Jaishankar in Iran: What’s on agenda?
The external affairs ministry said Jaishankar will meet Foreign Minister of Iran, HE Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues. “Political cooperation, connectivity initiatives and strong people-to-people ties will constitute important aspects of the agenda,” the statement by the ministry added.
Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian are also likely to discuss boosting regional connectivity through the Chabahar Port. The port is located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast. It is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties, news agency PTI reported.
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At a connectivity conference in Tashkent in 2021, Jaishankar had reportedly projected the Chabahar Port as a key regional transit hub, including to Afghanistan. The Chabahar Port is also seen as a key hub for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, which is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Besides, senior officials told Bloomberg Jaishankar is expected to discuss the growing concerns over the escalating conflict in the Red Sea and the war between Israel and Hamas.
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Jaishankar’s decision to visit Tehran came soon after he spoke with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken over the Iran-backed Houthi crisis. “Our conversation focused on maritime security challenges, especially the Red Sea region. Appreciated his insights on ongoing situation in West Asia, including Gaza. Exchanged perspectives on developments pertaining to the Ukraine conflict,” Jaishankar said on his meeting with Blinken.
Why Jaishankar’s visit to Iran is significant?
The visit of S Jaishankar is believed to be “very critical” in the wake of current crisis of the middle-east. The move comes after the US and UK bombed more than a dozen sites in Yemen. These “radar sites” were allegedly been used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels to launch attacks at commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The attacks by Houthi rebels have affected maritime operations in the Red sea. India has been closely monitoring the unfolding situation in the region. Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has already enhanced deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations in view of the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including the North and Central Arabian Sea.
Moreover, there is this war raging on between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Palestian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, had launched suprise attacks in parts of Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking around 240 people as hotages. In retaliation, Israel declared a war against Hamas.
Notably, Iran has been backing Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis. And according to Bloomberg, India could potentially play a crucial role in diffusing the tensions in the Middle East.
“The Indian context is that India is very clear that while it is supportive of the Palestinian cause, it doesn’t anyway justify the October 7 massacre. India wants a two-state solution, and it wants the war not to flare up,” Hindustan Times reported.
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Published: 13 Jan 2024, 08:09 PM IST
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