India Calls for De-Escalation as US Strikes Iranian Nuclear Facilities
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 22: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and called for immediate de-escalation of Iran’s conflict with Israel through dialogue and diplomacy as the United States on Saturday night entered the Iran – Israel conflict striking Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan using B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk missiles.
The U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said his country has carried out a “very successful attack” on three Iranian nuclear sites including the crucial underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo. He made the surprise announcement just two days after saying he had opened a two-week window for diplomacy.
Hailing the airstrikes on Iran as a “spectacular military success,” Mr Trump said Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities have been “completely and totally obliterated” and warned Iran of “far greater” attacks if they “don’t make peace now.”
Claiming that the mission was “executed flawlessly and marked a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions,” Mr Trump said, “There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember there are many targets left,” he said. “If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”
The phone conversation between Mr Modi and Mr Pezeshkian came hours after the U.S. bombed three nuclear sites in Iran that triggered a wider regional conflict. In a social media post, Mr Modi said he expressed “deep concern” at the recent escalations. “Spoke with President of Iran @drpezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations,” Mr Modi said. “Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” he said.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attacks. “The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations. The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people,” he said in a post on X.
Later Mr Araghchi told the media, “I am going to Moscow this afternoon to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and will have serious consultations.” He further said the Iranian armed forces were on full alert. When asked about closure of Hormuz Strait Mr Araghchi said “A variety of options are available to Iran.” On diplomacy, he said “Wait for our response first, when aggression ends, then we can decide about diplomacy.”
After the U.S. strikes, Iran launched a barrage of missiles on Israel, as confirmed by both sides. Israeli media reported several explosions over various parts of the country, including Tel Aviv. The Israeli military too said it launched fresh strikes on military targets, including missile launchers, in western Iran.
Israel and Iran traded strikes a week into their war on Friday as key European ministers met with Iran’s top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials in the weeklong war concluded after four hours with no sign of an immediate breakthrough.
Experts have said military strikes on Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities pose limited risks of contamination, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Sunday no increased off-site radiation levels had been reported following the U.S. attacks.
Russia on Sunday strongly condemned the U.S. attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The Foreign Ministry further added that “Risk of conflict in the Middle East has increased significantly.” The Ministry further reiterated that “Irresponsible decision to target Iran is violation of international law,” and added “We call for end to aggression, for increased efforts to create conditions for returning to political and diplomatic track.”
The Israeli military said Sunday it was checking the results of a U.S. bombing raid on the deeply buried Iranian nuclear facility in Fordo, adding that it was “too soon” to know if enriched uranium stockpiles had been destroyed. Asked whether Iran had removed enriched uranium from Fordo or if it had been buried under the rubble, army spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters: “We are constantly checking the situation. It is too soon to determine. I suppose we will know later on.”
Egypt denounced on Sunday the “rapid escalation” in Iran following the US attack on its nuclear facilities, which it said could have “dangerous repercussions” for the region. Egypt’s foreign ministry warned against “the danger of the region slipping into further chaos and tensions.” It condemned “the rapid escalation, which threatens to have dangerous repercussions for regional and international security and peace,” and called for “political solutions and diplomatic talks.”
The Kremlin said on Sunday that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had no plans to speak to Donald Trump following U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, but added the call could be quickly arranged.
Iran’s Foreign Minister said on Sunday that with the overnight strikes on Iran, ‘there is no red line’ that the U.S. has not crossed. He also said the last red line “and the most dangerous one was what happened only last night when they crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities only.”
The latest military strikes on Iran’s nuclear complex at Isfahan hit six buildings in addition to four damaged previously, but they contained little or no nuclear material, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a statement on Sunday. “The facilities targeted today either contained no nuclear material or small quantities of natural or low enriched uranium, meaning any radioactive contamination is limited to the buildings that were damaged or destroyed,” the IAEA said.
