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‘Can’t be happy': Shashi Tharoor upset over Pakistan, not India, leading US-Iran peace mediation
Shashi Tharoor said he backed the Modi government's silence because he hoped that the Centre would use the opportunity to take the lead in mediating peace.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed displeasure with the Modi government for India not taking the lead in the peace efforts to end the ongoing US-Iran war in the Middle East, saying that he "can't be happy about" Pakistan leading the mediation.
Opposition parties in the country, including Congress, have been raising objections over Prime Minister Narendra Modi not taking the initiative to mediate a cessation of hostilities between Iran and the United States. Follow US-Iran war live updates
Tensions erupted in the Middle East region after the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which also resulted in the death of the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict has since been escalating, with threats of a major global energy crisis emerging continuously in the wake of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
‘Bit embarrassing for all of us’
Tharoor, speaking to news agency ANI, said that the current situation is "embarrassing" for India. He said he backed the Modi government's silence because he hoped that the Centre would use the opportunity to take the lead in mediating peace.
"Right now, sorry to say that things are not looking so good. It is a bit embarrassing for all of us. One of the reasons that I supported the government's restraint and silence on this Iran war was because I hoped that the government would use this to create a space for peacemaking and be a leading voice for peace, as PM Modi has often said India should be," he said.
Noting that now Pakistan is leading the mediation effort with Turkey and Egypt, Tharoor said, "I can't be happy about that."
In a separate statement to news agency PTI, Shashi Tharoor said that India has nothing to do with whether the peace talks are in Pakistan.
"I have been calling for almost three weeks now for India to take a leading stand, leveraging its good relations with both sides into a peace initiative," he added.
He wished "good luck" to Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey with the mediation efforts. "We all want peace," the Congress leader said. '
"But India gets no credit while Pakistan is holding the peace talks," Shashi Tharoor added.
EAM Jaishankar counters Oppn's 'silence' charge
External affairs minister S Jaishankar gave a sharp response to the Opposition's "silence" charge against the Centre and the concerns around Pakistan's reported mediation efforts.
"We are not a dalaal (Broker) nation,” news agency PTI reported citing sources.
Jaishankar added that there was “nothing new” about Pakistan’s role, the country has been “used” by the US since 1981, PTI reported, citing sources.
At an all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis on Wednesday, the Centre also stated that PM Modi conveyed to US President Donald Trump that the war must end soon, pressing that the ongoing conflict is hurting all sides.
