New Delhi: Iran expects India and other like-minded nations to condemn Israeli “military aggression” against it as such actions are “breach” of international law, a senior Iranian diplomat said Friday.
Mohammad Javad Hosseini, the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, also hoped that Pakistan would not do anything that will harm Iran’s interest.
His response on Pakistan came when asked at a media briefing about Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House Wednesday.
There is speculation that Washington was looking at using Pakistani military bases in case it decides to launch attacks on Tehran.
Hosseini also said that India is a leader of the Global South and Iran expects New Delhi to condemn the Israeli actions of “breaching” international law by attacking a sovereign country.
“We believe every country including India should condemn it (Israeli military actions), not because of their relations with Iran but because these actions are in breach of global norms,” he said.
Israel and Iran have fired hundreds of missiles and drones at each other’s cities as well as military facilities since the hostilities began over a week ago.
Asked if Iran was considering shutting the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian diplomat did not give a direct reply and said several options are on the table.
Nearly 30 per cent of the world’s daily oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the International Energy Agency, even a brief disruption of passage through the strait will have a significant impact on oil markets.
“We have many things on the table, but it doesn’t mean that we are going to do it now. It depends on the situation and how the other players want to go,” Hosseini said.
“If they want to solve the problem, definitely some of these things will be put aside,” he added.
Asked about possible impact of the hostilities with Israel on Iran’s Chabahar port, the Iranian diplomat only said that any further escalation of tensions could have far-reaching implications for the flow of energy and other commodities.
“It is not just a matter of Chabahar, it’s a matter of the whole region. If it escalates, it will definitely affect many things, definitely the flow of oil, shipments and commodities which are going through these channels will be affected,” Hosseini said.
“Because of this, those countries who will be affected, it is better for them to think and to start stopping this aggression, to avoid any kind of negative effects on the economy of the region, which will definitely spread out to the whole world,” he said.
PTI
