India's Jaishankar dials Israel, Iran foreign ministers after Tehran's air strikes

INDIAN external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Sunday (14) spoke with his counterparts in both Israel and Iran over the telephone after Tehran launched on Saturday (13) air strikes against the Jewish state in retaliation for the destruction of its diplomatic premises in Damascus in Syria earlier this month.

The Indian diplomat shared with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz New Delhi's concerns over the situation arising out of the hostilities between two regional foes. He also spoke with the latter about the larger regional situation and "agreed to stay in touch".

"Just concluded a conversation with Israel FM @Israel_katz. Shared our concern at the developments yesterday. Discussed the larger regional situation. Agreed to stay in touch," Jaishankar said on X.

Read: India calls for peace as Iran attacks Israel: 'Return to path of diplomacy'

Earlier the same day, the Indian minister also spoke with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and discussed the release of 17 Indian crew members of the vessel, MSC Aries, seized by Iran.

Seventeen of the 25 crew of the commercial ship having links with Israel are Indians.

Read: Former UK top court judges call for halting arms sales to Israel

Tehran's special forces captured the ship on Saturday off the United Arab Emirates' coast, hours before launching its missile and drone attacks on Tel Aviv. While it was an unprecedented attack launched by the Iranians, Israel said 99 per cent of the weapons were intercepted. 

The Iranian foreign ministry issued a statement following the talks between the two leaders in which it said, "We are following up on the details of the seized ship and soon it will be possible for the representatives of the Indian government to meet with the crew."

Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian also discussed the situation in the region and stressed the importance of not letting things go out of control. 

In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, “Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region.”

“Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch,” he added.

On Sunday, India called for an "immediate de-escalation" in the wake of the attacks, expressing concerns at hostilities between the two nations that threaten "peace and security in the region".

"We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region," India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.

"We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy," it said.

The MEA said New Delhi is closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia (Middle East) where already one deadly conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant outfit Hamas is currently underway.

"We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our Embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community," the ministry said in a statement.