S Jaishankar On Attack On Ships In India’s Vicinity Red Sea Tensions Crisis Iran Matter Of Grave Concern

Tehran:

Terming attacks on ships around India as a matter of “grave concern” to the international community, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said such threats have a direct impact on India’s energy and economic interests as he underlined That it’s “terrible”. The situation” is not for the benefit of any party.

“Threats to the security of maritime commercial traffic in this important part of the Indian Ocean have recently increased significantly,” he said in a joint press statement following wide-ranging talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian.

He stressed that it is vital that the issue be “expeditiously addressed”, in an apparent reference to the targeting of merchant ships in the Red Sea, one of the busiest trade routes by Iran-backed Yemen’s Houthi rebels amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. ” Let’s do.

“We have also seen some attacks around India. This is a matter of great concern to the international community. Obviously, this also has a direct impact on India’s energy and economic interests. This appalling situation is not to the benefit of any party And this should be clearly identified,” he said.

His comments came a day after a missile fired by the Houthis hit a US-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen. According to reports, a day earlier, the Houthis fired an anti-ship cruise missile towards a US destroyer in the Red Sea.

Last week, America and Britain carried out airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen.

India is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Red Sea. The Indian Navy has already increased deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations given the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including the North and Central Arabian Sea.

MR Jaishankar, who is here as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides, also said that both India and Iran are concerned about recent developments in West Asia and the rise in violence and Emphasizes the importance of preventing further escalation of hostilities. ,

He said the “extremely worrying” situation in Gaza was naturally a topic of discussion.

“The loss of civilian life, especially that of women and children, was our primary focus. There is a clear humanitarian crisis that needs to be addressed and the creation of sustainable humanitarian corridors is the need of the hour,” he said and the international welcomed. Community efforts in that direction.

“India itself has delivered relief material to Gaza and contributed to UNRWA,” he said.

On the issue of Palestine, Jaishankar reiterated India’s long-standing support for a two-state solution, where the Palestinian people are able to live freely in an independent country within secure borders.

“I stressed the need for all sides to refrain from provoking and escalating actions and facilitate movement towards dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.

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