Jaishankar tells Iranian Min that India does ‘not intend to escalate’ tensions with Pak, warns of ‘firm response’ if…

India-Pakistan Conflict: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday held bilateral talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar told his Iranian counterpart that India does not intend to escalate tensions with Pakistan. However, Jaishankar cautioned that Delhi would not sit back if it faced a military attack.

“It is not our intention to escalate the situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response,” Jaishankar told Aragachi.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is visiting India from May 7 to 8, 2025, to co-chair the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi. This marks his first visit to India since assuming office in August 2024.

The meeting coincides with the 75th anniversary of the India-Iran Friendship Treaty and aims to review bilateral cooperation and explore ways to strengthen political, economic, and strategic ties between the two countries.

Jaishankar met Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is visiting New Delhi days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

“You are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric terrorist attack on 22nd April in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7th May by striking at the cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Our response was targeted and measured,” Jaishankar said in justifying Operation Sindoor.

Araghchi, in a statement on his arrival in India, said that it was "natural that we want to reduce tensions" between India and Pakistan.

"We hope that the parties will exercise restraint to avoid an escalation of tensions in the region," Araghchi said.

The Iranian foreign minister landed in New Delhi late last night on a scheduled visit amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

In addition to co-chairing the Joint Commission Meeting, Araghchi is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and engage in discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.

The visit also follows Araghchi’s recent trip to Pakistan, reflecting Iran’s diplomatic engagement with both India and Pakistan amid ongoing regional security concerns.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to retaliate after India launched Operation Sindoor on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday morning.

The Operation was launched in retaliation for the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

Pakistan had been violating the ceasefire along the Line of Control for days before the Operation Sindoor was launched. In the post-op scenario, the Pakistani army escalated artillery shelling in the border village of Poonch, killing at least 15 people.