New Delhi: Iran has assured India that arrangements would be made for Indian representatives to meet the crew members of a seized cargo vessel, in a call between the foreign ministers of the two countries.
This was during a call Sunday between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Jaishankar also held a telephonic conversation with Israel Katz, his Israeli counterpart.
“We are actively monitoring the situation concerning the seized ship, and arrangements will soon be made for representatives of the Indian government to meet with the crew members of the vessel in question,” said a readout of the Iranian foreign ministry Monday.
Jaishankar, in his call to his Iranian counterpart, urged de-escalation and raised the issue of the 17 Indians onboard MSC Aries detained by Iranian authorities.
“Spoke to Iranian FM Hossein Amir-Abdollahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch,” said Jaishankar in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening.
Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries.
Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy.
Agreed to remain…
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) April 14, 2024
Seventeen out of the 25-member crew of the Portuguese-flagged container ship are Indians, and the vessel was seized Saturday by Iranian authorities in the Persian Gulf.
Within an hour of informing the public of his call with his Iranian counterpart, Jaishankar also said he spoke with Katz. Jaishankar said he shared India’s “concern at the developments” and discussed the larger regional situation.
Jaishankar’s calls came hours after the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement Sunday said that it is “seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region.”
The statement called for the “immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy.”
“We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our Embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community. It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region,” it added.
India’s position of calling for a return to diplomacy comes after Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes — the first ever aimed directly at Israel — Saturday. Close to 300 drones and missiles were launched by Tehran. Israel claimed that close to 99 per cent of the missiles were intercepted by themselves and their allies in the US and the UK.
Tehran’s retaliation came 13 days after an airstrike at its consulate in Damascus killed two senior commanders of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and at least six other officers.
Israel, as is its normal policy of such strikes in third countries did not claim responsibility for the airstrike. Tel Aviv has yet to respond to the strikes by Iran, with media reports indicating that the Israeli government is still considering its options.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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