Finland has called for India to play a diplomatic role in easing tensions between the United States Iran, urging an immediate ceasefire as the Middle East war continues to escalate.
In an interview, Finland
President Alexander Stubb suggested that India could help broker peace, pointing to recent diplomatic outreach by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who has called for de-escalation.
“We need a ceasefire. I’m wondering if India can actually get involved. We saw Foreign Minister Jaishankar call for a ceasefire to calm things down,” he said.
Stubb’s remarks came as New Delhi stepped up engagement with Tehran amid rising hostilities. Last week, Jaishankar held another round of telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi to discuss the evolving regional situation.
During the talks, Araghchi briefed India on the latest developments, describing the conflict as a result of “aggressions” by the United States and Israel. He emphasised Iran’s intent to exercise what he called its right to self-defence, while warning of broader regional and global consequences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts. PM Modi said that he expressed deep concern over escalating hostilities and the loss of civilian lives. He also emphasised that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remained India’s top priority.
Even as tensions remain high, India has managed to safeguard its energy and trade interests. Despite restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, Indian-flagged vessels continue to transit the crucial oil route. The LPG carrier Shivalik, carrying around 40,000 metric tonnes of fuel, recently reached Gujarat’s Mundra port safely. Another tanker, Jag Laadki, is currently en route from the UAE with crude oil, while Nanda Devi is expected to dock in Kandla soon.
Additionally, Jaishankar hailed direct talks with Iran as the most effective way to restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as India works to safeguard energy supplies amid rising tensions.
In an interview with the Financial Times, the Union Minister said that New Delhi is in discussions with Tehran to help reopen the strategic waterway, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass. He said that the talks are “already yielding some results,” adding that New Delhi believes it is more productive to “reason and coordinate” with Iran rather than avoid engagement.
He, however, clarified that India has not yet reached any “blanket arrangement” with Iran regarding India-flagged vessels. According to Jaishankar, the movement of ships is currently being handled on a case-by-case basis.
Iran, for its part, has said the Strait of Hormuz remains open to most countries but restricted for ships linked to the United States, Israel and their allies.
The Hormuz Strait, which is the transit route for about 20 per cent of global crude oil and natural gas, has been blocked by Iran in retaliation for the US and Israel attacks. This has led to energy security concerns in Asian markets such as India and China.
