In first call, new Iran foreign minister, EAM discuss Afghanistan, Chabahar

India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar and Iran's new foreign minister Amir Abdollahian on Wednesday held talks with top focus on the Afghanistan situation and the Chabahar port project.

It was the first-ever call between the two since the new Iran foreign minister took charge. During the meeting, the EAM congratulated him on his appointment as Iran’s foreign minister.

On Afghanistan, both sides agreed to continue consultations with the Iranian readout saying that FM Amir reiterated Tehran's "principled policy to support the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan" which is "made up of all Afghan ethnic groups". He also emphasised on a regional approach to "defuse the crisis in Afghanistan."

A tweet statement by EAM said that India, "Appreciate Iran's facilitation of our repatriation flights from Afghanistan."

India in September had evacuated more than 500 people after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. During the evacuation process, India had coordinated with many counties including Iran, US, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Oman.

On Chabahar, Iran's FM called for "speeding up the Chabahar project and expanding trade with India."

Chabahar port is key to India's connectivity to its West as it provides links to Afghanistan and central Asia and is a key to the international north-south transport corridor connecting Mumbai to Moscow. 

Discussions were also held on vaccines. India had sent a consignment of COVAX to Iran as its dealt with the Covid crisis while Iran had sent assistance to India during the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak earlier this year. 

Last month, Jaishankar had represented India at the oath-taking ceremony of the new Iran President Ebrahim Raisi. It was the second visit of the EAM in a matter of two months to Iran given that in July he had made a stopover in Tehran and called on Ebrahim Raisi.