'Pressure cannot replace diplomacy': India terms sanctions 'unjustifiable' amid uncertainty over US waivers on Chabahar, oil

New Delhi: Peace cannot be piecemeal, India stressed on Thursday, expressing concern over the conflict in West Asia, calling for upholding international law and tacitly hitting out at the United States for resorting to “unjustifiable” and “unilateral” sanctions against Iran and Russia as well as against other nations doing business with them.

New Delhi denounced the unilateral sanctions imposed by the US and the rest of the West, as the waiver granted by President Donald Trump’s administration for India to buy oil already shipped from Russia would end on Saturday.

The six-month extension to the 2018 waiver granted by the Trump Administration to allow India to continue its role in the operations of the Chabahar Port in Iran, despite the US sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation, already ended on April 30.

With India being the chair of the BRICS, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted the foreign ministers and the heads of delegations of the 11-nation bloc for a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday.

The huddle, however, came under the shadow of the conflict in West Asia, with the war of words between Tehran and Abu Dhabi escalating in the wake of reports that President Benjamin Netanyahu had secretly visited the United Arab Emirates, after Israel, along with the United States, launched attacks on Iran on February 28.

“Continuing tensions, risks to maritime traffic, and disruptions to energy infrastructure highlight the fragility of the situation,” Jaishankar said, referring to the conflict in West Asia, while presenting the national statement on behalf of India. “Safe and unimpeded maritime flows through international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, remain vital for global economic well-being.”

The external affairs minister referred to the conflicts in the wider West Asian region, too.

“The conflict in Gaza has grave humanitarian implications. A sustained ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a credible pathway towards a durable and peaceful resolution remain essential,” he said, albeit without referring to Hamas or Israel. “India supports a two-state solution where the Palestine issue is concerned.”

He noted that Lebanon and Syria continued to face challenges, while the conflict in Sudan imposed a high human cost, and Yemen presented humanitarian concerns and maritime risks, even as stability in Libya remained important.

“Taken together, they underline a clear reality: stability cannot be selective, and peace cannot be piecemeal,” Jaishankar said, adding: “It is essential to uphold international law, protect civilians, and avoid targeting public infrastructure. India stands ready to contribute constructively to de-escalation efforts and to support initiatives aimed at restoring stability.”

He criticised the US and the others in the West for increasingly resorting to “unilateral coercive measures and sanctions inconsistent with international law and the United Nations Charter”. “Such measures disproportionately affect developing countries. These unjustifiable measures cannot substitute dialogue, nor can pressure replace diplomacy,” added the external affairs ministers.

India, according to the sources, is in talks with the US for further extensions to both waivers – for buying oil from Russia as well as to continue its role in Chabahar Port in Iran.

Jaishankar noted that the multilateral system weakened even as challenges mounted. “The state of the United Nations, which is at its core, is particularly worrisome. With each passing day, the case for reformed multilateralism only gets stronger,” he said, adding: “This includes the reform of the UN Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. Continued delay comes at a high cost.”