New Delhi: India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Wednesday, welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran, hoping “it would lead to a lasting peace in West Asia.”
“We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. As we have continuously advocated earlier, de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict,” the MEA said In its first official statement.
India has been emphasising on dialogue and diplomacy since the war started on February 28. The MEA did not mention Pakistan in its statement, whose role has been acknowledged by both the US and Iran, as reported by The Indian Express.
“The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement added.
It also talked about the “freedom of navigation” and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. “We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.
Over the last five weeks, since the conflict began, India has been in regular touch with all stakeholders in the region. External affairs minister S Jaishankar has spoken to Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on six occasions. He also spoke to multiple Gulf foreign ministers, including those from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been in touch with the leaders of Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, among others. He has spoken at least twice with each one of them since the start of the war.
Hours before the end of his deadline to bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran, US president Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he has agreed to “suspend the bombing and attack of Iran” for a period of two weeks, as Iran has agreed to “complete, immediate and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” he added.
Araghchi also posted on X: “In response to the brotherly request of PM Sharif in his tweet, considering the request by the U.S. for negotiations based on its 15-point proposal as well as announcement by POTUS about acceptance of the general framework of Iran’s 10-point proposal as a basis for negotiations, I hereby declare on behalf of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council: If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations. For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”
