External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
India has offered condolences on the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signing the condolence book at the Iranian embassy in New Delhi.
India had earlier called for dialogue and diplomacy to end the Iran-US conflict early, emphasizing the need to secure the interests of nearly 10 million Indians living in West Asia and to prevent disruptions to trade and energy supply chains.
Oil prices surged after Iranian forces effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, and natural gas prices rose as QatarEnergy halted production following attacks on its facilities.
India's trade and energy supply chains pass through the region, and any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy.
