In his first conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian who signed a Memorandum of Understanding with US President Donald Trump on June 17 to end hostilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday expressed the hope for “lasting peace in the region” and underlined “the importance of freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz, key to India’s energy imports.
According to the Iranian readout of the phone conversation, posted on X by its embassy in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi “formally invited the President of Iran to attend the upcoming BRICS Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by India and expressed hope that the meeting would contribute to further strengthening multilateral cooperation among the member countries”.
Modi, the Iranian readout said, “conveyed the condolences and sympathy of the Government and people of India following the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader and a number of Iranian officials and citizens during the recent war. He also announced that India would send a special delegation to attend the funeral ceremony of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution”.
The phone conversation took place days after Pezeshkian invited Modi to the state funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed in a US-Israeli air strike on Tehran on February 28. Khamenei’s funeral proceedings will begin in Tehran on July 4, and he will be laid to rest in his home town of Mashhad on July 9.
Modi may be unable to attend the funeral since he is scheduled to leave on a three-nation visit around the same dates. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to accompany the Prime Minister on the tour. The government, it is learnt, has chosen Bihar Governor Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (retired) and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita as leaders of the Indian delegation.
Following the phone conversation, Modi, in a post on X, said, “Spoke with the President of Iran, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, on the recent developments in West Asia. Welcomed the progress made in the negotiations and expressed hope that continued efforts will lead to lasting peace in the region. Reiterated the importance of freedom of navigation in the Hormuz Strait for India and the World.”
Following the Iran-US MoU, multiple India-bound vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint. Over a dozen vessels sailing to India have successfully navigated the strait, including three India-flagged crude tankers and multiple LPG and bulk fertiliser carriers.
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But 10-12 India-flagged vessels are still located within the Persian Gulf. Despite the lifting of the ban, shipping companies and seafarers are being instructed to maintain strict ship security procedures – the West Asia conflict severely disrupted India’s energy imports and claimed the lives of several Indians in the region including seafarers.
According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Iranian President briefed the Prime Minister on the recent developments in West Asia and the way forward. Modi welcomed the understanding reached, and reiterated India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, the statement said.
The Prime Minister, the PMO said, reiterated the need for continued efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, and for safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce.
The Iranian readout said Pezeshkian “expressed appreciation for the constructive positions adopted by the Government of India and for Prime Minister Modi’s personal role in supporting peace, stability, and regional cooperation”. It quoted Pezeshkian saying “the international community should work to consolidate this process so that aggression and the use of force have no place in international relations”.
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Pezeshkian also spoke about the convergence of views between Tehran and Delhi on many regional and international issues, particularly within multilateral organisations and forums, it said.
Earlier, Modi had welcomed the understanding between the US and Iran, saying the conflict in West Asia “caused serious economic disruption across the world and led to loss of life in many countries”. India, he said, hoped that the implementation of the understanding would help restore peace and stability in the region and ensure freedom of navigation and commerce.
Modi and Pezeshkian last spoke in March in the wake of escalating regional instability but Tehran and Delhi maintained regular channels of communication at various levels throughout the conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Araghchi visited India in May for a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers. Ghadir Nezamipour, Deputy Secretary for Defence Affairs in Iran’s powerful Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), who was in Delhi last week to attend the meeting of NSAs from BRICS countries, also met the Prime Minister. Mohsen Paknejad, Iran’s Petroleum Minister, too was in Delhi for a meeting of BRICS energy ministers.