Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said that India is expected to take initiatives to “help establish a ceasefire in Gaza” and send extensive humanitarian aid to the region.
Abdollahian spoke to Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on phone on Sunday evening, an Iranian readout said on Monday.
The Iranian FM said that the continuation of ongoing attacks by Israel would complicate the situation by opening new fronts in the war and broaden the conflict.
For his part, Jaishankar said the two top diplomats discussed the “grave situation” in West Asia and the concerns of the international community.
“Conveyed the importance of preventing escalation (of the conflict) and providing humanitarian support,” the Indian foreign minister wrote on social media platform X after the call.
The telephone call comes against the backdrop of growing international outrage over the rising death toll in Gaza due to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) bombing campaign in the wake of 7 October attack by Hamas.
The Gaza Health Ministry said on Sunday that the IDF campaign has led to over 9,770 deaths in Gaza.
Countries in the neighbourhood as well as global actors like China and Russia have called for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds. Israel has so far refused to heed the calls and said that its forces are preparing for a ground invasion in the northern part of Gaza.