Iran's FM Araghchi to visit India after meeting with Pakistani officials

New Delhi: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit India on Thursday, its embassy in New Delhi said, days after visiting Pakistan where he held talks with senior government officials.

Iran has offered to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan as tensions between the two neighbours surge after an attack in Indian held Kashmir.

Araghchi last week “declared Iran’s readiness to extend its goodwill efforts to help reduce tensions”, in a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.

Iran was “ready to use its good offices” to resolve the conflict, said the diplomat, who was in Islamabad on Monday for an official visit.

India and Iran have warm ties, at the same time as New Delhi pursues greater security cooperation with Tehran’s arch-rival Washington.

New Delhi and Tehran last year signed a contract to develop and equip the long-stalled Chabahar port project in Iran, prompting Washington to warn that Indian firms working on the project risked sanctions.

Araghchi will be the first senior foreign diplomat to visit both India and Pakistan after the attack on April 22 in which 26 men were killed.

India has blamed Pakistan for backing the gunmen who carried out the attack.

Islamabad has rejected the charge, and both countries have since exchanged gunfire across their contested de facto border in Kashmir.

Read More: COAS, Iranian FM discuss bilateral coordination, regional issues

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday.

“The meeting featured constructive discussions on the geo-strategic environment, with particular focus on challenges confronted by both countries in the domain of security,” the military’s media wing said.

The ISPR added that the Pak-Iran border security mechanism was also reviewed as part of efforts to enhance bilateral coordination.

The Army Chief, General Syed Asim Munir, reaffirmed that Pakistan and Iran are brotherly neighbours, bound by deep-rooted ties of shared history, culture, and religion, the ISPR said.

“Both sides agreed to stay engaged for enhanced bilateral cooperation while jointly working to assist in bringing positive developments in issues concerning the region.”