India-Iran ties in Ebrahim Raisi years: Between BRICS, Chabahar and Central Asia connectivity
PM Narendra Modi with Ebrahim Raisi during BRICS summit in South Africa in August 2023
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi death news updates: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences shortly after Iranian state media confirmed President Ebrahim Raisi's death in a tragic helicopter crash. Raisi was accompanied by Foreign MinisterHossein Amir-Abdollahian who too did not survive in what so far is being described as an 'accident'.
"Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow," Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar also took to X and said that India stands with the people of Iran at the time of this tragedy.
"Deeply shocked to hear of the passing away of Iran’s President Dr Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister H. Amir-Abdollahian in the helicopter crash. Recall my many meetings with them, most recently in January 2024. Our condolences to their families. We stand with the people of Iran at time of this tragedy," Jaishankar wrote on X.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar with deceased Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in January 2024 | AFP
India-Iran ties during Ebrahim Raisi's years in power
After succeeding Iran's moderate President Hassan Rouhani in 2021, Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister Amir-Abdollahian were key to the conclusion of some of India's majorinvestments on Iran's Chabahar Port, located just 200 km from China-funded Gwadar port in Pakistan, and key to India's connectivity ambitions with Russia through Central Asia. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar visited Iran in January this year with focus to conclude Chabahar Port Deal and developments on North-South Corridor.
Just last week, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal signed on the deal to operate Chabahar Port for the next 10 years in a major geoeconomic breakthrough for the two countries.
At Tehran, Iran today, delighted to be part of the signing of the Long Term Bilateral Contract on Chabahar Port Operations in presence of HE Mehrdad Bazrpash, Minister of Roads & Urban Development, Iran.
India will develop and operate Iran's strategic Chabahar Port for 10… pic.twitter.com/iXwekIk8ey — Sarbananda Sonowal (Modi Ka Parivar) (@sarbanandsonwal) May 13, 2024
New Delhi had beenTehran's key supporter for joining the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), a development that finally took place inSeptember 2023 during South Africa BRICS summit.
Prior to that, in New Delhi's corridors of power, Tehran's support to the New Delhi-led Voice of the Global South summitswas widely acknowledged.
Notably, since 1995 to present, the United States has issued ten executive orders to declare sanctions on various parts of Iran's economy citing, among other things, Tehran's pursuitto attain nuclear power. Between August 2021 till April 25, 2024, the US State Departmenthas issued a total of 65 orders to declare sanctions on a number of Iran-linked entities — religious, economic, radical, et. al.— of several kinds.
Despite Washington's relentless pursuit against Iranian interests, it was India that secured a waiver from the US in 2018 for investments related to Chabahar Port through its steadfast diplomatic capital. Tehran recognises New Delhi's geo-economic significance and it's this exact recognition that has driven the two sides closer during Raisi's years in power.
Iranian President #EbrahimRaisi dies in chopper crash; foreign minister Abdollahian also dead
The president was flying in US-made Bell 212 helicopter
WION's @sidhant and @Anasmallick join @Saroyahem with more details pic.twitter.com/TE6bK0KFb5 — WION (@WIONews) May 20, 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message of condolencein terms of Raisi's "contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship" indicates the strides the two countries have made in recent years.