KARACHI: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has criticised Pakistan over its mediation role in the current Iran war after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government came under fire over what the opposition described as the country’s isolation after siding with Israel ahead of the war.
Dismissing Pakistan’s efforts as a mediator between Iran and the US, Jaishankar told leaders at an all-party meeting that India does not view itself as a “dalaal” (broker) like Pakistan.“There is nothing new in Pakistan’s mediation efforts, as that country has been ‘used’ by the US since 1981,” Jaishankar said during the all-party meeting convened by the government to discuss the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Last month India’s opposition parties had mounted fierce criticism of Modi over his visit to Israel, calling the trip a betrayal of India’s historic foreign policy principles and a display of “moral cowardice” at a moment of intense global scrutiny of Israeli policies.
The visit had drawn fire at home even as Modi sought to strengthen strategic cooperation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including defence, technology and bilateral ties.On the other hand, Pakistan is rapidly positioning itself as a central diplomatic player, with officials and international reports pointing to Islamabad’s growing role as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran in efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict.
