New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday praised the strengthening partnership between India and Iran, noting that bilateral cooperation has seen significant progress in recent years. His remarks came during the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting held in New Delhi, where he welcomed Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
Recalling the October 2024 meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Kazan, Jaishankar emphasized the leaders’ shared vision for enhancing ties. “It’s a pleasure to co-chair the 20th Joint Commission meeting. Our cooperation has advanced across multiple sectors, although some challenges remain. The recent interactions between our leaders, including their April phone call, have provided valuable direction,” he stated.
Jaishankar highlighted the significance of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, describing it as a symbol of enduring friendship and deep-rooted collaboration.
Addressing recent regional developments, Jaishankar referred to India’s military action Operation Sindoor—in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. He described India’s retaliation as “targeted and measured,” stressing that New Delhi had no desire to escalate tensions, but would respond decisively to any military aggression.
“You are visiting at a time when India has responded to a particularly brutal terrorist incident. On May 7, we acted against cross-border terror infrastructure. Let me be clear should we face further military threats, our response will be extremely firm,” Jaishankar added.
According to official sources, Operation Sindoor was a joint strike carried out by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force between 1:05 am and 1:30 am on Wednesday. Nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoJK were targeted based on credible intelligence.
During the Joint Commission Meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi echoed Jaishankar’s sentiments, describing India-Iran relations as “warm and friendly,” grounded in mutual respect and shared historical ties.
“Our bilateral relationship has always been strong and based on mutual interests. While economic cooperation is good, it hasn’t reached its full potential due to sanctions. We hope to overcome this in the future,” Araghchi noted.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated that Araghchi’s visit aimed to review bilateral relations and discuss broader regional and international issues. In a post on X, Baqaei wrote that both nations are committed to enhancing cooperation in sectors such as economy, customs, and health, while working together to promote peace and stability.
The Ministry of External Affairs also acknowledged Araghchi’s visit, with official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling it an opportunity to reaffirm bilateral cooperation on the landmark 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty.