New Delhi: As the conflict between the United States-Israel alliance and Iran drags into its fourth week, Hindi-film actor Boman Irani has injected a dose of humour into the tense geopolitical moment by joking that the “Iranis” might be better suited for peace talks between US President Donald Trump and the Iranian faction.
The Instagram video, which has since gone viral, shows the 3 Idiots (2009) actor playing on the similarity between his Parsi surname, “Irani,” and Iran, quipping that he, along with veteran actor Aruna Irani and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani, had been “called” to negotiate the peace.
The caption reads, “The Iranis are ready for peace talks with Mr Donald Trump.”
“So, as you may know, it’s going viral that Mr Donald Trump wants to speak to the Iranis. And three people have been beckoned. Talks are happening with Smriti ji, Aruna Irani ji, and me, Boman Irani. So, I am ready. I am ready to do anything for peace,” says the actor in a video posted to his Instagram.
Irani, in his typical offbeat style, hilariously raised his one and only concern: he was unwilling to travel to Washington for the peace talks.
“I think it would be best if Trump sahab and his delegation come to Dadar Parsi Colony. We’ll feed them dhansak, custard and other food. But if they bring along a big gas cylinder, I think it’ll make life very smooth for all of us.” Irani ended his humble plea with a smile and a thumbs-up.
Irani was referring to the shortage of LPG cylinders in India triggered by the conflict in the Middle East, and its resulting hike in oil prices.
Actors Farhan Alhtar and Tabu dropped laughter emojis on the reel, while comedian Sorabh Pant commented, “Dhansak could resolve many conflicts”.
Jaaved Jafferi also wrote on the reel, “If you call yourself Bombon Irani and offer to share the formula for Custard gas, Trump might make the effort to come to Dadarland.”
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India’s peace efforts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, shared that he had also reached out to Trump over the ongoing war.
“Received a call from President Trump and had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia. India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world. We agreed to stay in touch regarding efforts towards peace and stability,” Modi posted.
Speaking at the Rajya Sabha on 25 March, Modi also asked citizens to brace for challenges arising from the ongoing war, stating that its impact on energy supply chains and inflation could have long-term implications.
Modi added that due to the Iran crisis, the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked for ships containing gas and oil to pass; however, India has made its best efforts to ensure energy needs reach the shores in time even during this challenging period
The war broke out on 28 February with the US and Israel launching coordinated military strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities. The strikes also killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was 86. In retaliation, has also launched military strikes and has blocked traffic to US and allied shipping, disrupting 20 per cent of global oil flows.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)