National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a telephone conversation with Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Dr Mohsen Rezaei to discuss the latest regional and international developments, the Iranian Embassy said.
During the conversation, the two officials exchanged views on issues of mutual interest to India and Iran, according to a statement issued by the embassy. The statement did not provide further details about the specific issues discussed.
The conversation comes at a critical time for the region, with tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel affecting security, energy supplies and maritime trade. The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route through which a significant share of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, has been at the centre of the crisis.
Iran has maintained that the waterway will not reopen until Washington addresses its conditions for ending the conflict. Rezaei said on Sunday that the US response to Tehran's proposal was "insufficient", highlighting the continuing differences between the two sides.
Meanwhile, tensions have also escalated between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have launched repeated attacks on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and other targets in the kingdom. The strikes have killed civilians, injured dozens and forced the airport to suspend operations until October 17, disrupting international flights. Saudi Arabia has vowed an "equally serious" response to the attacks, raising fears of further escalation across the region.
For India, developments in West Asia carry significant economic and strategic implications. The region is an important source of energy supplies, a major trading partner and home to millions of Indian nationals whose safety remains a priority for New Delhi.
Disruptions to shipping routes and energy supplies could also affect oil prices, transport costs and India's broader economic interests.
The call follows recent high-level engagement between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi in September on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. The leaders discussed bilateral relations and developments in West Asia, with PM Modi emphasising dialogue, diplomacy and the need to protect freedom of navigation and commerce.
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