After US Kills Iranian Commander and Iran Vows Revenge, India Calls for Restraint

India’s statement just “noted” the death of Soleimani and did not go to the extent of deploying stronger diplomatic jargon by ‘condemning’ the action.

New Delhi: After a US military drone killed Iran’s top military commander, India on Friday called for “restraint” to avoid further escalation in tension, even as New Delhi evaded direct criticism of Washington’s actions but also referred to Qassem Solemani as “an Iranian leader”.

Solemani, the head of Quds Force in Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed on Friday in a drone strike that targeted his convoy while it was leaving Baghdad international airport. The US claimed responsibility, with the Pentagon asserting that the strike “was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans”.

Soleimani was seen in Western countries as the key mastermind behind Iran’s regional policy by running successful intelligence security operations that backed militia groups. The Iranian general’s campaigns in Iraq and Syria had been important in keeping Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in power by militarily defeating the Islamist terror group, ISIS.

Also read: US Airstrike on Baghdad: Iran Promises to Avenge Top Commander Soleimani

Iran’s supreme leader Ayotallah Khameni hasdeclared three days of public mourning and stated that a “forceful revenge awaits the criminals who have his blood and the blood of the other martyrs last night on their hands”. Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has termed the killing as an “an act of aggression against Iraq, and the Iraqi people”. The US has already asked all its nationals to leave Iraq immediately.

In a cautious reaction on Friday evening, the Ministry of External Affairs stated, “We have noted that a senior Iranian leader has been killed by the US.”

Indian sources were keen to point out that the statement was a “balanced one”. They said that the description of Soleimani did not reflect the description of the US of him as a terror mastermind, but acknowledged that he was a “senior Iranian leader”.

At the same time, India’s statement just “noted” the death of Soleimani and did not go to the extent of deploying stronger diplomatic jargon by ‘condemning’ the action.

Further, the MEA press note said, “The increase in tension has alarmed the world. Peace, stability and security in this region is of utmost importance to India. It is vital that the situation does not escalate further. India has consistently advocated restraint and continues to do so.”

Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar had been in Tehran last month to attend the Iran-India joint commission meeting. India’s commercial relations with Iran have taken a hit due to US sanctions, with New Delhi cutting down on crude imports. However, the Iranian port of Chabahar continues to be one of the cornerstones of India’s Afghan policy. The US had given a “narrow waiver” on developing Chabahar port, but progress has been slow due to private companies afraid to take any commercial decision due to regional uncertainty.

Also read: Iraq President Condemns US Strike that Killed Qassem Soleimani, Urges Restraint

Soleimani’s death is a major escalation in the tensions between Iran and US, which have peaked after American forces conducted air strikes against Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-supported militia, in Iraq and Syria. The air strikes had been in retaliation against the killing of an American contractor near the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, allegedly due to rockets fired by Kataib Hezbollah.

Following the airstrikes, the American embassy was under siege for more than 24 hours by a large, angry crowd, most of whom were reported to be pro-Iranian militia members, as per new agencies.

By asking that the situation should not escalate further, India is signalling that Iran should not take any retaliatory step, which could trigger more actions.

Indian government sources indicated that one of the options for New Delhi had been to not issue an official statement at this stage, but with world capitals responding to the situation in West Asia, New Delhi didn’t have much choice.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that killing of Soleimani would exacerbate regional tensions.

She told Rossia 24 television that “this new reality entails the killing of a representative of a government of a sovereign state, an official, these actions are completely devoid of any legal basis”. In an interview to RIA, Zakharov described Soleimani as having been “devoted to protecting Iran’s national interests”.

Stating that China has been opposed to “use of force” in international relations, China pointedly put the burden of restraint to stop further escalation on Washington’s shoulders.

Meanwhile, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo was making phone calls to his international counterparts from France to China to brief them about US actions.

Pompeo called up Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa to brief him about US’s “defensive action”.

Pakistan foreign ministry’s statement had not acknowledged the killing directly, but had stated that “recent developments in the Middle East” threatens peace and stability in the region.

“Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, which should be adhered to. It is also important to avoid unilateral actions and use of force,” read the Pakistani statement.