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Jaishankar, Israel foreign minister discuss Hormuz blockade, West Asia crisis amid US-Iran deadlock
The talks between both ministers focused on Iran's nuclear programme, transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the situation in Lebanon.
India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar on Tuesday discussed the West Asia crisis over a phone call, days after talks between US and Iran failed to produce a peaceful resolution of the war started by the Israeli-American attacks on Tehran about six weeks ago.
The conversation between Jaishankar and Sa'ar focused on Iran's nuclear programme, transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the situation in Lebanon, the Israeli minister said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar also said that discussions had taken place on West Asia. He did not share more particulars. “Had a telecon this afternoon with Israel FM @gidonsaar. Our discussion covered different aspects of the West Asia situation,” the EAM said in a brief post.
Also Read | Israel, Lebanon to hold talks in US next week; IDF continues to attack Hezbollah
US stance on Iran nuclear programme critical: Sa'ar
Elaborating on the talks held with Jaishankar, Sa'ar asserted that he had told Jaishankar that the American stance during negotiations on “conditions that would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons (no enrichment in Iran, removal of enriched material from Iran) is critical for the entire international community".
The Israeli foreign minister also alleged what he described as Iran's “economic terrorism” in the Strait of Hormuz, saying it would harm “freedom of navigation and the global economy".
He further said he told Jaishankar that this would require action from “all countries, including India and our friends in the Gulf".
Also Read | Does Iran charge India a toll for the Strait of Hormuz passage? Tehran's envoy answers
India raises concerns over situation in Lebanon
This comes even as India had expressed concern on the increasing civilian casualties in Lebanon amid strikes by Israel.
Lebanon has been one of the flashpoints in negotiations between US and Iran, with the latter saying the two-week truce decided upon included Lebanon. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier claimed that the ceasefire agreed upon by US and Iran exempted Israel's action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Addressing an Inter-Ministerial Briefing in New Delhi on recent developments in West Asia, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the situation in Lebanon “very disturbing", given India's longstanding commitment to peace and stability in the region. Jaiswal highlighted that around 1000 Indian nationals were living in Lebanon.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of a large number of civilian casualties that have been reported in Lebanon. As a troop-contributing country to United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) – which is invested in Lebanon's peace and security – the trajectory of events is very disturbing,” the MEA spokesperson stated.
