Iran considers resolving India-Pakistan tensions a top priority, offers mediation
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As diplomatic tensions escalated between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead, Iran on Friday extended an offer to mediate between the two countries, invoking the longstanding cultural and civilizational ties that connect the three nations.
The offer came at a time when both New Delhi and Islamabad had initiated diplomatic countermeasures against each other in response to the attack, which has been linked to cross-border elements.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, issued a message on social media, positioning Iran as a neutral neighbour with close historical relations with both countries, and expressing Tehran’s willingness to facilitate understanding between the two. Iran’s proposal drew upon shared regional values and cultural connections, with an emphasis on unity and mutual concern during times of hardship.
“Tehran stands ready to use its good offices in Islamabad and New Delhi to forge greater understanding at this difficult time, in line with the spirit taught by Persian poet Saadi: ‘Human Beings are members of a whole In creation of one essence and soul If one member is inflicted with pain Other members uneasy will remain’,” Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.
Meanwhile, diplomatic activity intensified across the region, with India’s External Affairs Minister holding discussions with his Saudi Arabian counterpart to address the cross-border dimensions of the Pahalgam attack.
In parallel, the Saudi Foreign Minister reached out to Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, who conveyed the decisions taken by Pakistan’s National Security Committee in light of the worsening bilateral atmosphere.
The attack in Pahalgam prompted immediate responses from regional players, as leaders and diplomats engaged in a flurry of communications to assess the situation and manage its fallout. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Saudi Arabia at the time of the attack, curtailed his trip and returned to India.