Iran’s FM Araghchi visits India amid rising tensions in region

NEW DELHI: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, just days after visiting Pakistan, where he held talks with senior government officials amid escalating tensions in the region.

Upon his arrival, Araghchi called for restraint between India and Pakistan, according to Indian state media reports.

“We hope that India and Pakistan will prevent further escalation of tensions in the region,” he said, reiterating the appeal he made during his visit to Islamabad earlier.

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 is 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.