India Issues Statement On Middle East Tensions, Gives Assurance To Indians In Iran

New Delhi: India has issued a statement amid rising tensions in the Middle East between the US and Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday that it is monitoring the situation. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations has stated that Tehran will deliver a decisive response to any US military attack. According to media reports, he wrote this letter urging the UN Security Council to condemn recent threats by US President Donald Trump.

"We are in constant contact with Indians living in Iran and are in constant dialogue with the Indian community there," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

What did Irvani say?

Iran's UN envoy, Amir Saeed Irvani, yesterday called on Council members and UN chief Antonio Guterres to take action. He specifically mentioned Trump's recent threat, in which he threatened to use an air base in the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean for a potential attack on Iran. Irvani wrote that given the volatile situation in the region and the continued deployment and movement of military equipment and resources by the United States, such an aggressive statement by the US president should not be considered mere rhetoric.

What stance did Iran take?

The Iranian ambassador stressed that his country neither wants tension nor war. We won't start a war. But he also said that if Iran were attacked, it would target all enemy military bases, facilities, and assets in the region.

Iravani wrote that given the volatile situation in the region and the US's continued movement and buildup of military equipment and assets, such a belligerent statement by the US President should not be considered merely a statement.

What did Trump say?

Earlier, speaking to the media aboard Air Force One, Trump said that in 10-15 days at the most, "either we will reach a deal or it will be bad for them." The US President said that he would know within 10 days whether a deal with Iran was possible. He said at the first meeting of the Board of Peace that "we may have to take it a step further, or maybe not."

Referring to the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June last year, Trump reiterated that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. You can't bring peace to West Asia if they have nuclear weapons.

Trump said that now is the time for Iran to follow the path we are taking. If they come with us, that would be great. If they don't, that would also be great. But it would be a very different path. They cannot threaten the stability of the entire region.