Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday night, nearly two weeks after the war in West Asia began on February 28.

Modi, however, did not condemn the US-Israel strikes on Iran that began the conflict, unlike in the case of his earlier telephone conversations with the heads of state/government of several Gulf countries where he denounced Iran’s retaliatory attacks on US military bases on their soil using the rubric of “territorial integrity and sovereignty”.

“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure. The safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India’s top priorities. Reiterated India’s commitment to peace and stability and urged for dialogue and diplomacy,” Modi said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister announced his conversation with Pezeshkian to the world shortly after the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said in his first public remarks that “the leverage of closing the Strait of Hormuz must definitely continue to be employed”.

Earlier in the day, the external affairs ministry had said India was talking to Iran to secure safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the shipping ministry, India currently has 28 ships in the Persian Gulf — 24 to the west of Hormuz and 4 to the east. Together, they have 788 Indian seafarers on board.

The absence of contact at the leadership level almost two weeks into the conflict had stood out and appeared to be in line with India’s tilt towards the US-Israel combine, more so because the Prime Minister has spoken to his Israeli counterpart and the heads of state/government of several Gulf countries since the conflict that has engulfed the entire region began. These include the President of the UAE, the Amir of Qatar, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the King of Bahrain, the Sultan of Oman and the King of Jordan.

Earlier this week, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar had said that “while attempts have been made, contacts with Iran at the leadership level are obviously difficult at this time”. Jaishankar has so far spoken thrice to Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.

On Thursday, New Delhi joined nearly 140 other countries at the United Nations to co-sponsor a resolution that condemned the “egregious attacks” by Iran on neighbouring countries.

Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal avoided a straight “yes” or “no” when asked whether Iran had guaranteed safe passage to commercial vessels carrying oil to India, as reported in the media.

“(India’s) external affairs minister and (the) foreign minister of Iran have had three conversations in recent days,” he said at the weekly briefing.

“The last one discussed issues pertaining to safety of shipping and India’s energy security. Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything.”

Jaiswal also sidestepped the question whether New Delhi was looking for safe passage to all the 24 Indian-flagged ships west of Hormuz or all cargo bound for India, referring the matter to the shipping ministry.

Sailor dead

The Indian toll in the attacks on commercial vessels has risen to three dead and one missing.

An Indian seafarer was killed on Wednesday when a US-owned crude oil tanker, Safesea Vishnu, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked near Basra, Iraq.

At an inter-ministerial briefing, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the ports, shipping and waterways ministry, said there had been no change in status for the 28 Indian-flagged vessels currently operating in the region.

UN resolution

On India’s decision to co-sponsor the UN resolution condemning Iran’s “egregious attacks” against its neighbours, Jaiswal said the resolution “reflects several of our positions”.

“As you know… we have a large diaspora in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, and their well-being and welfare is of the utmost importance. The Gulf is also very important for our energy security needs,” he said.

About 140 countries co-sponsored the resolution, which the Security Council adopted with 13 of the 15 members voting in favour and two — Russia and China — abstaining.

Commenting on India co-sponsoring the resolution against Iran, former foreign secretary Nirupama Menon Rao highlighted the “complexity” of the matter in a post on X.

“…UN votes capture moments of escalation, not the full chain of events. Diplomacy should recognise complexity, not reduce it to a single culprit,” Rao posted.

“China and Russia abstained in the United Nations Security Council vote. That is not support for Iran. It is a refusal to endorse a narrative that begins the story with Iranian retaliation rather than the escalation that preceded it. Wars rarely start where resolutions say they do.”

Jaiswal, asked whether any of India’s neighbouring countries had sought New Delhi’s help in evacuating their nationals or ensuring their energy security, mentioned Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.