New Delhi [India], June 15 (ANI): The Indian National Congress (INC) on Sunday condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes and targeted assassinations carried out on Iranian soil, calling them a “dangerous” step that could exacerbate regional and global tensions.
In a post on X, Congress MP and the party’s General Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, expressed the party’s stance on the growing conflict between Iran and Israel. He wrote, “The Indian National Congress unequivocally condemns Israel’s recent bombings and targeted assassinations on Iranian soil, which represent a dangerous escalation with grave regional and global consequences. This attack on Iran’s sovereignty and encroachment of its rights, whether through aerial strikes or covert killings, only deepens instability and sows the seeds of further conflict.”
Congress reaffirmed its belief in diplomacy, dialogue, and international cooperation as the only legitimate paths to resolving conflict. “The Congress party firmly believes that diplomacy, dialogue, and international cooperation, and not violence, are the only legitimate and sustainable path forward. Hostilities must cease immediately. Continued military brinkmanship risks plunging an already fragile region into wider war, with catastrophic human and economic fallout,” the statement read.
Acknowledging India’s strong ties with both Iran and Israel, the Congress party emphasized that this unique position gives India a moral responsibility and diplomatic leverage to act as a mediator for de-escalation and peace.
“India has long-standing civilisational ties with Iran and, in recent decades, has developed strategic relations with Israel. This unique position gives our country the moral responsibility and the diplomatic leverage to act as a bridge for de-escalation and peace,” the X post stated.
Highlighting the presence of a large Indian diaspora in West Asia, Congress stressed that regional peace is not only a geopolitical concern but also a matter of national interest. “With lakhs of Indian citizens living and working across West Asia, peace in the region is a vital national interest apart from being a geopolitical concern. India must speak clearly, act responsibly, and use every diplomatic channel available to defuse tensions and promote a return to dialogue,” the party added.
On Saturday, Jairam Ramesh also criticized the Indian government over its decision to distance itself from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) statement on the Israel-Iran conflict. He questioned whether India had become “an abject apologist for Israel.”
“What does this MEA statement really mean? It seems to suggest that Israel can attack Iran but that Iran should exercise restraint and not climb the escalatory ladder. Have we been reduced to being an abject apologist for Israel? We cannot even condemn Israel’s attacks on and targeted assassinations in Iran?” Ramesh asked on X.
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that India did not participate in discussions on the SCO statement, which condemned Israel’s military strikes against Iran on June 13 and expressed serious concern over escalating tensions in the Middle East. (ANI)
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