New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday sharply criticised the government after the United States and Iran concluded a peace agreement, arguing that the pact — now dubbed the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” — signals Pakistan’s renewed regional stature and global clout. The party said this development represents a “severe setback” to both the substance and the style of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy, PTI reported.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh pointed out that the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the USA and Iran has now been officially made public.
“The fact that it is called the Islamabad MOU shows the new-found regional standing and global influence of Pakistan, a country that had once been isolated on the global stage by Dr. Manmohan Singh following the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008,” Ramesh said on X.
“This is a severe setback to both the substance and style of Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy. Pakistan is now even more deeply embedded in the geopolitical and security architecture of West Asia which has grave and great implications for India,” he said.
Ramesh said that if the MoU is upheld in both letter and spirit, it would mark a major advance.
60 Days Crucial; GCC May Rethink Alliances
The Congress leader added that the MoU also carries the risk of turning into a “Memorandum of Misunderstanding” from both sides.
“For the time being, all that can be said is that the next 60 days will be crucial,” he said.
Ramesh said the MoU itself contains very significant, and even unexpected, gains for Iran, which has demonstrated its resistance and resilience.
The GCC countries that have borne the full weight of Iran’s counter-attacks have cautiously welcomed the MoU but will undoubtedly rethink their relationships with other countries, he said.
“The MoU is a definite defeat for the Prime Minister of Israel who can still torpedo it in different ways. Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu stands isolated internationally with even President Trump giving public expression to his anger and frustration with him,” Ramesh said.
“Only Mr. Modi remains steadfast in his support of Mr. Netanyahu’s actions in the region – including in Lebanon, Gaza, and the occupied West Bank. This blind devotion to Israel by Mr. Modi is costing our country dearly,” he said.
Ramesh argued that the MoU represents a serious blow to the US, which, along with Israel, launched a war against Iran on 28 February this year with maximalist aims that have simply not been realised.
Congress Slams Modi’s Netanyahu Backing, Trump Appeasement
“The limits of military power have been once again exposed. Mr. Modi’s continuing appeasement of Mr. Trump – the latest evidence of which is the MEA readout of the Trump-Modi bilateral meeting last night – is shameful and actually anti-national,” the Congress leader claimed.
His comments came after President Trump signed a deal with Iran that obliges Tehran to reduce its stock of highly enriched uranium, lifts US-backed sanctions on the country, and immediately permits Iran to export oil freely, as per details released by both nations.
