Tehran [Iran], January 15 : As the war in Gaza has crossed 100 days, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday underscored the urgency of addressing the "visible humanitarian crisis" in the Middle East while stressing the importance of "avoiding escalatory actions."
Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Iran, addressed a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, H Amir-Abdollahian.
The two ministers held "wide-ranging" bilateral discussions in Tehran, which also included the Gaza situation, Afghanistan, Ukraine and BRICS cooperation.
"Held wide ranging discussions today in Tehran with Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian. Our bilateral discussion focused on the long term framework for India's involvement with Chabahar port and the INSTC connectivity project," Jaishankar said in a post on X.
"Also spoke about threats to maritime shipping in the region. Important that this be speedily addressed. Other issues on the agenda were the Gaza situation, Afghanistan, Ukraine and BRICS cooperation," his post added.
In the joint press conference, Jaishankar highlighted the need for a concerted effort to mitigate tensions in the region, saying, "We also exchanged perspectives and assessments on certain regional and global issues and developments. Both of us are concerned about recent events in West Asia, which some call the Middle East, and we emphasised the importance of preventing further escalation of violence and hostilities."
The EAM also expressed India's unwavering stance against terrorism, emphasising its commitment to addressing the humanitarian aspects of the crisis, particularly the impact on women and children.
"India has a longstanding and uncompromising position against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. This remains so very much for women and children was our primary focus," he said.
"There is a visible humanitarian crisis that needs to be addressed, and the creation of sustainable humanitarian corridors is the need of the day," Jaishankar said, urging international collaboration. He also acknowledged India's contribution to relief efforts by delivering shipments of aid to Gaza.
"On the issue of Palestine, let me reiterate India's longstanding support for a two-state solution where the Palestinian people are able to live freely in an independent country within secure borders," Jaishankar affirmed.
He stressed the imperative for all parties to "avoid provocative and escalatory actions and to facilitate movement towards dialogue and diplomacy."
On 100th day of the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "nobody will stop us" from destroying Hamas. He suggested Israel would not comply with the UN's top court (International Court of Justice), where it is accused of genocide.
At least 24,100 people have been killed and over 60,800 have been wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.
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