Iranian foreign minister Araghchi dials Jaishankar amid widespread protests in Tehran
The phone call was an opportunity for Araghchi to explain his decision to call off a planned visit to New Delhi from January 15.
Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi dialled external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday to discuss the regional situation against the backdrop of possible US military intervention following widespread protests in Iran.
The phone call was an opportunity for Araghchi to explain his decision to call off a planned visit to New Delhi from January 15, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.
“Received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi,” Jaishankar said on social media.
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“We discussed the evolving situation in and around Iran,” he added without giving details.
There was no readout from the Iranian side, and most official websites of the Iran government were unavailable because of an internet blackout.
The two foreign ministers spoke hours after India urged its nationals to leave Iran and advised against travel to the country amid mounting regional tensions. There are about 10,000 Indians in Iran, including a large number of students.
Reports suggested more than 2,000 people were killed after Iran launched a crackdown on protests, among the worst in the country’s history. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military intervention if Iranian security forces kill protesters. He has warned of “very strong action” if detained protesters are executed by Iranian authorities.
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India has been facing increased pressure from the US over its relations with Iran following Trump’s move to hit countries trading with Iran with a 25% tariff. US sanctions during Trump’s first term forced India in 2019 to stop buying oil from Iran, which was once among the country's top three energy suppliers.
In addition to concerns about any US intervention triggering unrest in a region crucial for India's energy security, Iran is also central to India's ambitions to forge greater connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and Russia through the Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor.
