‘Our region needs peace’: Iranian minister urges for peace amid India-Pakistan conflict

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi who was on a two-day visit to India has urged both New Delhi and Islamabad to exercise restraint. His call for peace came after Pakistan attacked Indian cities with drones. However India intercepted all of them with precision and thwarted the attacks. 

“We hope that India and Pakistan will prevent the escalation of tension in the region. Our region needs peace, especially to expand economic cooperation between regional countries, and we hope this will happens,” he said.

Araghchi was in India to co-chair the 20th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Iran. It was his first visit to India after assuming office in August last year. He was scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. 

Before his visit to India, Araghchi “exchanged views” with Pakistan Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar about resolving “complex issues through diplomacy and negotiations”. He had also then spoken to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the escalating regional situation. He had asked for restraint from both sides and to de-escalate the tensions. 

The Iranian minister’s visit came in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22 that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. 

Iran had offered to broker peace between India and Pakistan and said Tehran was ready to use its good offices in Islamabad and New Delhi to “forge greater understanding at this difficult time". The Iranian side had said they would try to de-escalate tensions in the region.