External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar placed separate telephonic calls to his Israeli and Iranian counterparts on Friday to address the escalating tensions in West Asia. Following the outbreak of hostilities after Israeli strikes on Iranian territories and Tehran threatening a “powerful” response, Jaishankar informed both sides of India’s perception of the unfolding scenario.
He met with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi during the negotiations and talked about the recent developments in the region. Through the exchange of dialogue with both nations, India is attempting to keep close tabs on what transpires while calling for restraint, which corresponds to its broader approach of having major regional players interact.
The Israeli military staged a series of air strikes across Iran on Friday, bombing military camps and facilities linked to the country’s nuclear program. The attacks were reported to have killed at least three high-ranking military commanders, heightening the stakes for potential war between the two nations.
Among the dead were top officials such as General Mohammad Bagheri, commander of Iran’s military forces; General Hossein Salami, commander of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard; and General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who commanded the Guard’s ballistic missile forces. The operation has been described as the most serious attack on Iranian territory since the 1980s Iran-Iraq war.
The crisis remains fragile with the specter of another escalation looming over the region as they both navigate this historic moment.
