The Indian National Congress (INC) on Sunday strongly condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes and targeted assassinations conducted on Iranian soil, labelling them a "dangerous" escalation that threatens to intensify tensions both regionally and globally.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Congress MP and General Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, articulated the party's stance on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. “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,” Ramesh wrote. “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.”
The party reaffirmed its belief in resolving conflicts through peaceful means, emphasising that diplomacy, dialogue, and international cooperation are the only legitimate and sustainable ways forward. “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,” the statement continued. “Continued military brinkmanship risks plunging an already fragile region into wider war, with catastrophic human and economic fallout.”
Highlighting India’s unique diplomatic positioning, the Congress party noted that India shares deep-rooted civilisational ties with Iran and has also developed strategic relations with Israel in recent decades. According to the party, this dual relationship places India in a position of moral responsibility and diplomatic influence to act as a peace broker in the escalating crisis.
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“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 post read. Congress further urged the Indian government to proactively use diplomatic channels to de-escalate the conflict, pointing out that a large number of Indian citizens reside and work across West Asia.
“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,” the statement added. “India must speak clearly, act responsibly, and use every diplomatic channel available to defuse tensions and promote a return to dialogue.”
This strong statement from the Congress party came a day after Jairam Ramesh criticised the Indian government for distancing itself from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) statement condemning Israel’s actions. He questioned the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) silence on Israel’s airstrikes and asked whether India had become “an abject apologist for Israel.”
“What does this MEA statement really mean?” Ramesh asked on X. “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?”
The MEA had issued a statement earlier on Saturday clarifying that India did not participate in the discussions that led to the SCO’s statement on the conflict between Israel and Iran. The SCO statement, issued on June 13, had condemned the military strikes carried out by Israel against Iran and expressed serious concern over rising tensions in the Middle East.
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