New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to travel to Iran on Monday to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during which they are expected to deliberate on a range of bilateral and regional issues including the unfolding security situation in the Red Sea, one of the world’s most crucial waterways.
Jaishankar’s planned visit to Tehran comes against the backdrop of growing global concerns over Houthi militants targeting merchant vessels in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The US and the UK have already launched air strikes targeting the Houthi positions in Yemen.
The external affairs minister is scheduled to travel to Iran on Monday for a short visit, people familiar with the matter said, adding the two sides are likely to deliberate on a range of bilateral and regional issues including the situation in the Red Sea.
India has been closely monitoring the unfolding situation in the Red Sea.
The issue figured in a telephonic conversation between Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday.
The Indian Navy has already enhanced deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations in view of the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including the North and Central Arabian Sea.
“Indian Naval ships and aircraft remain mission deployed for maintaining enhanced surveillance and undertaking maritime security operations,” a spokesperson of the Indian Navy said last week.
Following the airstrikes targeting the Houthi positions, US President Joe Biden said he will not hesitate to direct further measures.
“The response of the international community to these reckless attacks has been united and resolute,” he said.
Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian are also likely to deliberate on boosting regional connectivity through the Chabahar Port.
Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran’s southern coast, the Chabahar Port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.
India has been pushing for the Chabahar Port project to boost regional trade, especially for its connectivity to Afghanistan.
At a connectivity conference in Tashkent in 2021, Jaishankar projected the Chabahar Port as a key regional transit hub, including to Afghanistan.
The Chabahar Port is also seen as a key hub for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, which is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra visited Tehran in November to co-chair a meeting of India-Iran Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) along with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs Ali Bagheri Kani.
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