‘Civilians must not be harmed’: PM Modi meets Iranian President Pezeshkian in Bishkek

In Bishkek, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Following the bilateral session, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the leaders discussed strengthening ties between their nations. They also addressed recent events in the West Asia conflict, expressing shared views on the situation's progression.

The Prime Minister voiced his apprehension over the region's escalating tensions and reaffirmed India's stance that all issues should be settled via dialogue and diplomacy.

Modi reiterated India's commitment to enduring peace and stability in West Asia, emphasizing the importance of preserving navigation and commerce freedom. He highlighted that civilian infrastructure, such as commercial shipping and seafarers, must remain unharmed in any circumstance. The MEA also disclosed that Modi stressed India's willingness to work closely with Iran in multilateral organizations like BRICS and SCO.

This was the first encounter between Pezeshkian and Modi since the outbreak of the West Asia war in February. The ongoing conflict involved the US and Israel attacking Iran, which has resulted in a fragile ceasefire that has been repeatedly violated.