New Delhi: Iran “hopes” that both India and Pakistan will stand with it, in the ongoing conflict with Israel, said Mohamed Javad Hosseini, the Deputy Chief of Mission of its embassy Friday. Hosseini highlighted that Tehran expects India to “condemn” Israel’s aggression, given New Delhi’s role as the voice of the “Global South”.
“There has been a lot of misinformation and news around the situation [the meeting between Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir and US President Donald J. Trump]. I hope Pakistan will stand with Iran against Israeli aggression,” Hosseini said at a press conference at the Iranian embassy.
The Deputy Chief of Mission added: “According to the discussions we had with Indian officials, India says it has a stand. It has good relations with both Iran and Israel and they want to show neutrality. We have told them that this is not an Iran-Israel issue where one can remain neutral, but a matter of aggression against a country. It must be condemned as per international law.”
The Iranian diplomat’s comments come after Munir had lunch with Trump Wednesday at the White House. The two, who met for over two hours, had a “detailed exchange of views” on the “prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel”, the Pakistani military readout of the meeting said.
The US is potentially eyeing access to Pakistani airbases for any offensive against Iran, according to reports. However, President Trump has set a two-week deadline for any action against Iran Thursday.
“We believe that there is an understanding between Iran and Pakistan. They know our stance and understand us well, the same as India that understands us well. We hope that in the end the decision that will be made [is] to condemn the aggressor and stand with Iran,” Hossein said.
Tehran is also of the view that India, as a leader of “the Global South”, should condemn Tel Aviv’s aggression. India has called for the de-escalation of the situation. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has been in touch with both his Iranian and Israeli counterparts, Sayyid Abbas Araghci and Gidon Sa’ar, since the conflict began 13 June. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has had a telephonic conversation with PM Narendra Modi.
“We believe every country including India must condemn this [Israeli] aggression not because of [its ties with] Iran, but because it would open the way for other countries to attack their neighbours for baseless reasons. If you do not condemn this attack, you are giving those nations an incentive [to attack],” Hosseini said.
The Iranian diplomat said that Tehran is not “disappointed” with India’s reaction to the war, but rather “expects” more. India distanced itself from a statement made by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), condemning Israel’s military action. The SCO is the regional forum that India is a member of, alongside Iran, and eight other member-states including China, Russia, and Pakistan.
The current conflict began when Israel launched targeted strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities and key personnel including military personnel and scientists in Operation Rising Lion. At least 10 Iranian generals have been killed in Israeli strikes. Iran retaliated later that day and launched its Operation True Promise 3, launching ballistic missiles across Israel.
Hosseini made it clear that Tehran will not accept any “imposed” peace, but is willing to sit together with mediators once Tel Aviv has been condemned and the attacks have stopped. Iran does not diplomatically recognise Israel, therefore any negotiations will be with other parties. The Iranian diplomat pointed out that both Russia and China have offered to mediate an end to the conflict.
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Iran to open airspace for evacuation
Tehran, which has closed its airspace since the conflict began, in a gesture to India, will allow at least three charter flights to evacuate Indians, who wish to leave Iran to depart the West Asian nation. The first evacuation flight is set to land late evening in New Delhi, departing from Iran’s second-largest city Mashhad, in the North-East of the West Asian nation.
India launched Operation Sindhu Wednesday to evacuate its citizens from the West Asian country. According to Hosseini, around 1,000 Indians are seeking to exit the country. Tehran made arrangements to transport those who wish to evacuate to reach Mashhad via Qom.
Around 110 students were shifted from Tehran to Armenia, via a land-border, before a special IndiGo flight brought them to New Delhi. They were the first group to be evacuated from the West Asian nation.
“An Iranian carrier, Mahan Air, is going to bring them [Indians] in two or three charter flights. One will land tonight, two tomorrow [Saturday] and one on Sunday…We are making arrangements for safe passage and opening airspace specifically for these flights,” Hosseini said.
The operation is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, who have been coordinating with the Iranian Foreign Ministry, its embassy in Tehran, and the Iranian embassy in New Delhi, he added.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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