- Gideon Saar and S. Jaishankar held talks amid rising West Asia tensions.
- Discussions focused on Iran, nuclear concerns, and the Strait of Hormuz.
- India flagged concerns over Lebanon as civilian casualties
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar held a telephonic conversation with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, as Middle East tensions spiked following the collapse of peace talks with Iran in Islamabad.
As of last week, the US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad ended in vague terms without any solution to the conflict after 21 hours of high-stakes negotiations, the foreign ministers of Israel and India talked over the betterment of the conditions around the Gulf region.
Saar posted on X, stating that he discussed the geopolitical situation with Jaishankar, "A good conversation, as always, with my friend, India's Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar. We discussed Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and Lebanon."
The US' firm decision on the nuclear facilities located in Iran is critical for the globe, he added while writing, "I said that the firm American stance in the negotiations on conditions that would prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons (no enrichment in Iran, removal of enriched material from Iran) is critical for the entire international community."
"I also said that Iran's harm to freedom of navigation and the global economy through economic terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz requires action that will ensure the freedom of navigation for all countries, including India and our friends in the Gulf," he added.
Jaishankar also mentioned the conversation on X, "Had a telecon this afternoon with Israel FM @GideonSaar. Our discussion covered different aspects of the West Asia situation."
The first round of direct engagement between the United States and Iran has concluded without a breakthrough, leaving the region in a precarious diplomatic vacuum. Despite sustained efforts to find a middle path, the negotiations hit an unyielding conclusion over the fundamental architecture of Tehran's nuclear program.
In an media briefing in New Delhi, Randhir Jaiswal described the situation in Lebanon as “very disturbing,” citing civilian casualties. He noted around 1,000 Indians live there and stressed India's role in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) supporting peace and stability.
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