EAM Jaishankar visits Iran on Monday; Red Sea situation, regional connectivity on the agenda
S Jaishankar will hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on several important issues including the current situation in the Red Sea.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Iran on Monday where he will hold talks on several important issues, including the emerging Red Sea situation, with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian are expected to deliberate on a range of bilateral and regional issues, including the evolving security situation in the Red Sea, one of the world's most crucial waterways, officials said.
Jaishankar's planned visit to Tehran comes against the backdrop of growing global concerns over Houthi militants targeting merchant ships in the Red Sea amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The US and Britain have already launched airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen.
India is closely monitoring the situation in the Red Sea
According to officials, Jaishankar's visit to Tehran is expected to be short-lived and the two sides are likely to deliberate on a range of bilateral and regional issues, including the situation in the Red Sea.
India is closely monitoring the developing situation in the Red Sea.
The issue was raised in a telephone conversation between Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday.
The Indian Navy has already enhanced the deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations in view of the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including the North and Central Arabian Seas.
“Indian Navy ships and aircraft remain mission deployed to maintain enhanced surveillance and conduct maritime security operations,” an Indian Navy spokesperson said last week.
Following the airstrikes on Houthi positions, US President Joe Biden said he will not hesitate to take further measures.
“The international community's response to these reckless attacks is united and determined,” he said.
Regional connectivity
Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian are also likely to deliberate on boosting regional connectivity through Chabahar port.
Located in Sistan-Balochistan province on Iran's energy-rich southern coast, Chabahar Port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.
India has been pushing for the Chabahar Port project to boost regional trade, especially for its connectivity with Afghanistan.
At a connectivity conference in Tashkent in 2021, Jaishankar projected Chabahar port as a major regional transit hub, including to Afghanistan.
Chabahar port is also seen as a key hub for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, a 7,200 km multi-mode transportation project to move cargo between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia , Central Asia and Europe.
Foreign Minister Vinay Kwatra visited Tehran in November to chair a meeting of the India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) along with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani.
(With PTI inputs)