Editor's Pick | Indian officials can ‘soon’ meet detained crew: Iran

Iran said that it would “soon” allow Indian officials to meet with the 17 Indian crew members detained after its forces seized an Israel-linked ship, MSC Aries, as the issue was raised by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar who spoke to the Foreign Ministers of both Iran and Israel late on Sunday night. Speaking to presspersons during a visit to Bengaluru on Monday, he said, “Almost 90 lakh Indian citizens are living in [the Gulf region]. A large part of our shipping passes through this part and our oil comes from this part of the world. This is enormously sensitive region and we are very concerned when there is this kind of escalation in hostilities”. In a readout of the conversation between Mr. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian released on Monday, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said they had discussed Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel in what it called a response to Israel’s attack on an Iranian embassy on April 1 in which seven Iranian diplomats and commanders died, as well as the situation in Gaza and the Red Sea. Mr. Jaishankar said he had also shared India’s “concern at the developments”, indicating Iran’s drone and missile attacks, with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz. India has not directly referred to Iran’s strikes on Israel, suggesting a more neutral approach by New Delhi given India’s strong strategic ties with both countries. However, the MEA statement was received with some disappointment in Israel. “As a supporter of Indian foreign policy, I find the weak, balanced MEA statement disappointing. I expected India to publicly condemn the attack, as did so many other friends [and] partners of Israel around the world,” wrote former Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon. Mr. Carmon was referring to the statements by the U.S., its allies and Western countries strongly condemning the strikes and affirming support for Israel, in contrast to the statement from New Delhi. Israel and Iran have been engaged in conflict since April 1 when Tel Aviv made an air strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus in which a senior IRGC commander was killed. In retaliation, Iran launched a wave of drone and missile attack on Israel on Sunday night. The Hindu’s Editorials Pitch for continuity: On the BJP manifesto for the General election 2024 Two-horse race: On the contest in Karnataka and General election 2024 The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The BJP’s manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has vowed to promote the work of which Tamil poet and philosopher globally? Periyar Thiruvalluvar Subramania Bharati Bharatidasan To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 16 April 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters Indian officials can ‘soon’ meet detained crew: Iran Iran said that it would “soon” allow Indian officials to meet with the [17 Indian crew members detained]( after its forces seized an Israel-linked ship, MSC Aries, as the issue was raised by External Affairs Minister [S. Jaishankar who spoke]( to the Foreign Ministers of both Iran and Israel late on Sunday night. Speaking to presspersons during a visit to Bengaluru on Monday, he said, “Almost 90 lakh Indian citizens are living in [the Gulf region]. A large part of our shipping passes through this part and our oil comes from this part of the world. This is enormously sensitive region and we are very concerned when there is this kind of escalation in hostilities”. In a readout of the conversation between Mr. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian released on Monday, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said they had discussed [Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel]( in what it called a response to Israel’s attack on an Iranian embassy on April 1 in which seven Iranian diplomats and commanders died, as well as the situation in Gaza and the Red Sea. Mr. Jaishankar said he had also shared India’s “concern at the developments”, indicating Iran’s drone and missile attacks, with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz. India has not directly referred to Iran’s strikes on Israel, suggesting a more neutral approach by New Delhi given India’s strong strategic ties with both countries. However, the MEA statement was received with some disappointment in Israel. “As a supporter of Indian foreign policy, I find the weak, balanced MEA statement disappointing. I expected India to publicly condemn the attack, as did so many other friends [and] partners of Israel around the world,” wrote former Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon. Mr. Carmon was referring to the statements by the U.S., its allies and Western countries strongly condemning the strikes and affirming support for Israel, in contrast to the statement from New Delhi. Israel and Iran have been engaged in conflict since April 1 when Tel Aviv made an air strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus in which a senior IRGC commander was killed. In retaliation, Iran launched a wave of drone and missile attack on Israel on Sunday night. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Pitch for continuity: On the BJP manifesto for the General election 2024]( [Arrow][Two-horse race: On the contest in Karnataka and General election 2024]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz The BJP’s manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has vowed to promote the work of which Tamil poet and philosopher globally? - Periyar - Thiruvalluvar - Subramania Bharati - Bharatidasan To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Country being pushed towards black money; everyone will regret attacking Electoral Bond scheme, says PM Modi] Country being pushed towards black money; everyone will regret attacking Electoral Bond scheme, says PM Modi]( [[Electoral bonds biggest extortion scheme and Modi is mastermind: Rahul] Electoral bonds biggest extortion scheme and Modi is mastermind: Rahul]( [[U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan postpones visit to India again] U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan postpones visit to India again]( [[From IT bots to AI deepfakes: The evolution of election-related misinformation in India] From IT bots to AI deepfakes: The evolution of election-related misinformation in India]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](