"No alternative to dialogue, diplomacy": India on Iran-Israel ceasefire

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. File pic

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday welcomed the 'reports' of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, hours after US President Donald Trump announced that both nations have agreed to a truce, reported news agency ANI.

A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said, "We have been following developments overnight relating to the conflict between Iran and Israel, including the US action against Iran's nuclear facilities and Iranian retaliation against US military bases in Qatar," reported ANI.

MEA reiterated that there is no alternative to dialogue and diplomacy in order to address and resolve the multiple conflicts in the region.

However, the MEA also expressed concern over the recent hostilities, saying, "While we remain deeply concerned about the prospects for overall and sustained regional security and stability, we welcome reports of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel and the role played by the US and Qatar in bringing it about," reported news agency ANI.

The statement further reads, "We wish to reiterate that there is no alternative to dialogue and diplomacy in order to address and resolve the multiple conflicts in the region."

Meanwhile, another special flight carrying 282 Indian nationals stranded in conflict-hit Iran landed safely in New Delhi on Wednesday, taking the total number of people evacuated under Operation Sindhu to 2,858."282 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran on a special flight that arrived in New Delhi from Mashhad at 00:01 hrs on 25th June. With this, 2858 Indian nationals have been brought home from Iran," the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a post on X.

The operation was launched amidst the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which had gripped the region for the past couple of weeks before a ceasefire was agreed on Tuesday. The evacuees, upon arrival at the national capital, expressed their relief and gratitude to the Indian Government and the Indian Embassy in Iran for their safe evacuations .One individual described the conditions there, noting that the situation had improved in the region.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Iran announced that it will be gradually winding down its evacuation exercise for Indian nationals, initiated after the escalated conflict in the region following Israel's military operations on the Islamic Republic, as a ceasefire deal was made between the two countries on Tuesday.

(With inputs from ANI)