West Asia crisis: Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi calls EAM Jaishankar as tension mounts

They discuss bilateral relations and situation in the West Asian region

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has received a call from his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi as tension between the United States and Iran continues to escalate.

They discussed bilateral relations and situation in the West Asian region.

In a post on X late on Sunday, Jaishankar said, "Received a call from the Foreign Minister of Iran. Discussed the present situation."

While details of the conversation have not been released, the Iran embassy in India also confirmed the call, saying that the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional and international situation.

"Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held a phone conversation with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, discussing bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments," the embassy said in a post on X.

Earlier, Jaishankar spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Sunday to discuss the West Asia conflict and its impact on global energy supplies.

The External Affairs Minister also held a phone conversation with Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Details of the conversations have not been reveled.

Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas.

West Asia has been a major source of India's energy procurement. There has been growing global concern over disruptions in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with many leading powers pressing for the full reopening of the waterway.

Iran has allowed ships belonging to its friendly countries, including India, to transit through the waterway.

In the last couple of weeks, India has made diplomatic efforts focusing on ending the conflict in West Asia as soon as possible and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.