New Delhi, Oct 23: India continues to facilitate the transport of life-saving medicines to Iran as a humanitarian gesture, even as the ongoing conflict in the region has disrupted flight connectivity between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India remains in communication with the Iranian authorities to ensure required life-saving medicines reach the country. “We continue to facilitate transport of life-saving medicines to Iran. As you are aware, the ongoing conflict in the region has posed new challenges to the flight connectivity between our two countries. We continue to be in communication with our Iranian counterparts to facilitate the transportation of life-saving medicines as a humanitarian gesture,” Jaiswal said.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe. Sharing a picture with Aref on X, Singh wrote, “Pleasure to meet H.E. Mr Mohammad Reza Aref, First Vice President of Iran on the sidelines of the SCO Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe.”
Earlier this month, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval raised the issue of safety and security of Indian seafarers and tankers during his telephonic conversation with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Mohsen Rezaei. NSA Doval and Rezaei discussed bilateral issues, the regional situation and international developments during their conversation on October 12.
“National Security Advisor spoke to the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, His Excellency Dr Mohsen Rezaei. They discussed bilateral issues. They also discussed regional situation and international developments, and during the meeting, the safety and security of Indian seafarers was raised, as also the safety and security of Indian tankers was also raised,” Jaiswal had said while replying to a question in an earlier media briefing on the discussions held between NSA Doval and his Iranian counterpart. The telephonic conversation between NSA Doval and Rezaei came amid continuing attacks on the shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
IANS