New Delhi:External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar is all set to visit Iran on 14-15 January as part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two sides, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday.
His visit to Iran comes amid the global tension over the attacks carried out by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. Houthi rebels in Yemen are backed by Iran. Jaishankar is scheduled to meet the Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and hold discussions on bilateral, regional, and global issues. Political cooperation, connectivity initiatives, and strong people-to-people ties will constitute important aspects of the agenda.
According to sources, Jaishankar and Amir-Abdollahian are also likely to discuss boosting regional connectivity through the Chabahar Port. The port is located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast. It is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties
The Chabahar Port is also seen as a key hub for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, which is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Jaishankar's visit to Iran comes soon after he spoke with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken over the Iran-backed Houthi crisis. "Our conversation focused on maritime security challenges, especially the Red Sea region. Appreciated his insights on the ongoing situation in West Asia, including Gaza. Exchanged perspectives on developments about the Ukraine conflict," Jaishankar said in a post in X, formerly known as Twitter, after the meeting.
Moreover, the Union External Affairs Minister's visit is critical given the ongoing Middle East crisis. The move comes after the US and UK bombed more than a dozen sites in Yemen.
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