‘Reason and coordinate’: Jaishankar reveals how India secured passage for 2 tankers in Strait of Hormuz amid Iran war | India News

S Jaishankar (PTI file photo)

New Delhi: India hailed its direct talks with Iran as the “most effective way” to resume shipping through the disrupted Strait of Hormuz, which has affected global supplies, after Tehran allowed Indian-flagged vessels to pass through the route.In an interview given to the Financial Times, Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar “My talks have yielded some results,” he said, praising direct dialogue with Iran’s leadership, referring to renewed access to the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway critical to global energy markets after Donald Trump called on about seven countries to deploy warships to police it.

Follow for live updates on Iran warTrump has called on China, France, the UK and other countries to protect the Iranian-controlled waterway as “their territory”. His claims come as governments hit by rising electricity prices after shutting down the Tehran route, weigh their options, including negotiations with Iran or possible military engagement that could risk dragging them into a spiraling conflict in the Middle East.

Jaishankar told the Financial Times that talks between New Delhi and Tehran, which allowed two Indian-flagged gas tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, show what diplomacy can achieve.“I am busy talking to them at the moment and my talks have produced some results,” he said in the FT interview. “It’s ongoing. If it works for me, I’ll naturally continue to watch it.”Jaishankar also outlined India’s approach to dealing with the crisis and indirectly suggested a similar path for other countries. “Certainly, from India’s point of view, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than that we don’t,” he said. “So if that kind of allows other people to get involved, I think the world is better for it.”Oil prices closed above $100 last week for the first time since August 2022, with some industry analysts expecting further gains as the conflict extends into the spring. Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said last week that the country’s military would continue to block the narrow waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas was previously transported.France and Italy are among European countries that have begun talks with Tehran on a possible diplomatic solution that could resume energy shipments.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS on Sunday that Iran is “open” to countries that want to discuss the “safe passage of their ships.”Jaishankar spoke before his participation in a meeting European Union Foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, where they are expected to discuss whether to expand the mandate of the EU’s ASPIDs naval mission in the Red Sea to include the Strait of Hormuz. The mission currently consists of three warships from France, Italy and Greece.“Each relationship stands on its own merits, frankly, in a way,” he said when asked if European countries could replicate India’s system. “So now, it’s very hard for me to compare it to any other relationship that may or may not have had these.”“I will be happy to share [EU capitals] What are we doing? . I know they have had many conversations [with Tehran] As well,” he added.Jaishankar said there was no “blanket arrangement” with Iran for Indian-flagged vessels and “each vessel movement is an individual case”.The senior diplomat also denied that Iran received anything in return, citing “the history of dealing with each other … on the basis of which I was appointed”.“It’s not an exchange issue,” he said. “There is a relationship between India and Iran. And it’s a conflict that we consider very unfortunate.”“It’s still early days. We have a lot more ships out there. So while it’s a welcome development, there are ongoing conversations because there’s work going on,” he added.