During a meeting in Bishkek on Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leverage India’s influence in promoting peace in West Asia. The discussion focused on the ongoing regional crisis, the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and the Chabahar Port, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing these critical issues.
His comments came after the US Central Command said American forces had struck two launchers on Iran’s southern Larak Island on Sunday. At a ceremony in Tehran on Sunday, he said implementing the agreement would serve the interests of Iran, West Asia and the wider world. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in the Kyrgyz capital. The two leaders reviewed the latest developments in West Asia, with Pezeshkian conveying Iran’s position that the United States had chosen war over diplomacy and seeking India’s role in supporting efforts for peace. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s long-standing position that disputes and differences must be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy. He also stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, while calling for the protection of freedom of navigation and commerce. “Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. India also emphasised that civilians and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. This includes commercial shipping and seafarers, whose safety has become a growing concern amid tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait is a critical global maritime route and any disruption to shipping through the waterway can have wider consequences for energy supplies and international trade. “However, we will never sit still in the face of aggression and will give a decisive response to aggressors. He called on regional countries to work together to strengthen security and promote development. Pezeshkian had also spoken in favour of a peace memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. He argued that the implementation of the MoU could prevent the United States and Israel from creating further instability in the region and allow regional countries to focus on stability and development.
The issue therefore featured prominently in the discussions between Modi and Pezeshkian.
Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors,” PM Modi said in a post on X. He added that the two leaders discussed the prevailing situation in the region and said India would continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace. The Ministry of External Affairs readput on the meeting said Modi also underlined the need for continued efforts to ensure peace and stability in West Asia and to safeguard freedom of navigation and commerce. Pezeshkian, meanwhile, said Iran does not want war but would respond firmly to any aggression. “We do not seek war, and this is a clear message that we have so far conveyed to the world,” he said, according to a statement from his office. The Iranian President said instability and unrest in West Asia were not in the interests of any country and would ultimately affect the entire region.
Pezeshkian has repeatedly maintained that Iran did not initiate war and does not welcome conflict, while insisting that the country would defend itself against aggression. The Iranian President’s appeal to Modi comes as India seeks to maintain its diplomatic engagement with all sides while stressing the need for de-escalation and peaceful solutions. During their meeting, Modi and Pezeshkian also discussed strengthening the long-standing India-Iran partnership across different sectors. The two countries also have important strategic interests in the Chabahar Port, which provides India with a key connectivity link to Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan.
Modi said India wants to expand and diversify its trade basket with Iran in the coming period.
