Iran stated that it would give permission to the Indian govt representatives to meet the Indian crew onboard the seized cargo ship, MSC Aries.&nbsp;

The breakthrough was made when India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Amir Abdollahian on Sunday (April 14).

The announcement was made in Iran's readout which said,&nbsp;"Dr. Amir Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of our country, informed his Indian counterpart during a telephone conversation about Iran's legitimate defence and the punishment of the Israeli regime."

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-chief-warns-middle-east-is-on-brink-as-israel-iran-engage-in-war-of-words-at-unsc-711285">&nbsp;UN chief warns 'Middle East is on brink' as Israel, Iran engage in war of words at UNSC</a>

"He called for India's continued role through international institutions, including the UN Security Council, to stop the war in Gaza, which is the root of current crises in the region, as well as to end the aggressions and crimes of the Zionist regime," the readout added.

"The minister reiterated Iran's demand for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and the establishment of peace and security in the region from the Mediterranean shores to the Red Sea. The Indian foreign minister also stated that the most important issue for them is to witness a reduction in tensions. They are calling for responsibility from all parties and a favourable end to alleviate current tensions and improve the situation," the statement said.

Watch:&nbsp;India, Iran discuss situation in West Asia, S Jaishankar speaks to Iranian counterpart

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-iran-discuss-situation-in-west-asia-s-jaishankar-speaks-to-iranian-counterpart-711268/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Speaking about the situation of the Indian crew members, the readout stated, "Finally, the Indian foreign minister expressed concern about the situation of 17 Indian crew members on a detained ship by Iran and requested assistance from the Islamic Republic in this regard. Dr Amir Abdollahian mentioned that they are following up on the details related to the detained ship and soon the possibility of representatives of the Indian government meeting with the crew of the mentioned ship will be provided."&nbsp;

<h2>What did India say about the Indian crew?</h2>

The Indian side stated that they were in touch with the Iranian authorities to ensure the release of&nbsp;17 Indian nationals&nbsp;who were among the 25 crew members of the cargo ship which was seized by a special forces unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf of Hormuz, nearly 80 km off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Spoke to Iranian FM <a href="https://twitter.com/Amirabdolahian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Amirabdolahian</a> this evening. 
 
Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. 
 
Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. 
 
Agreed to remain…
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1779547273975988578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

After the meeting, S Jaishankar had written on X, "Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch."&nbsp;

There has been growing concern in India over the Israel-Hamas conflict and the recent escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving &nbsp;Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran stated that it would give permission to the Indian govt representatives to meet the Indian crew onboard the seized cargo ship, MSC Aries. The breakthrough was made when India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr.

Iran stated that it would give permission to the Indian govt representatives to meet the Indian crew onboard the seized cargo ship, MSC Aries. The breakthrough was made when India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Amir Abdollahian on Sunday (April 14). The announcement was made in Iran's readout which said, "Dr. Amir Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of our country, informed his Indian counterpart during a telephone conversation about Iran's legitimate defence and the punishment of the Israeli regime." Also Read: UN chief warns 'Middle East is on brink' as Israel, Iran engage in war of words at UNSC "He called for India's continued role through international institutions, including the UN Security Council, to stop the war in Gaza, which is the root of current crises in the region, as well as to end the aggressions and crimes of the Zionist regime," the readout added. "The minister reiterated Iran's demand for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and the establishment of peace and security in the region from the Mediterranean shores to the Red Sea. The Indian foreign minister also stated that the most important issue for them is to witness a reduction in tensions. They are calling for responsibility from all parties and a favourable end to alleviate current tensions and improve the situation," the statement said. Watch: India, Iran discuss situation in West Asia, S Jaishankar speaks to Iranian counterpart Speaking about the situation of the Indian crew members, the readout stated, "Finally, the Indian foreign minister expressed concern about the situation of 17 Indian crew members on a detained ship by Iran and requested assistance from the Islamic Republic in this regard. Dr Amir Abdollahian mentioned that they are following up on the details related to the detained ship and soon the possibility of representatives of the Indian government meeting with the crew of the mentioned ship will be provided." What did India say about the Indian crew? The Indian side stated that they were in touch with the Iranian authorities to ensure the release of 17 Indian nationals who were among the 25 crew members of the cargo ship which was seized by a special forces unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf of Hormuz, nearly 80 km off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Spoke to Iranian FM @Amirabdolahian this evening. Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain… — Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) April 14, 2024 × After the meeting, S Jaishankar had written on X, "Took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries. Discussed the current situation in the region. Stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy. Agreed to remain in touch." There has been growing concern in India over the Israel-Hamas conflict and the recent escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran to allow Indian govt representatives to meet 17 citizens onboard seized cargo ship

Watch live:&nbsp;Jordan&#39;s King Abdullah II addresses conference on &lsquo;Islamic Heritage&#39;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" id="frmwion" scrolling="no" src="http://wionews.dittotv.com/?header=no" width="100%"></iframe>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, diplomats, representatives from a wide range of Islamic institutions, academicians and think-tanks are attending the event

Watch live: Jordan's King Abdullah II addresses conference on ‘Islamic Heritage'

Watch live: Jordan's King's speech on 'Islamic Heritage' from Vigyan Bhawan

Nepalis across the country&#39;s mountainous north voted Sunday in elections that could herald change after 20 ruinous years marked by a bloody Maoist insurgency, a devastating earthquake, and crippling political instability.

The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state.

More than two million people - around 65 per cent of eligible voters - cast their ballot for representatives in new national and provincial parliaments.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-begins-historic-vote-army-says-rogue-maoists-behind-blasts-25144" target="_blank">Also read: Nepal begins historic vote, army says &#39;rogue&#39; Maoists behind blasts</a>

The two-phase elections will establish the country&#39;s first provincial assemblies as laid out in a post-war constitution that aims to devolve power from the top-heavy central governments to seven newly created provinces.

Nepal&#39;s tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy has been marred by the crippling instability that has seen 10 leaders hold power in 11 years - some of them more than once - hampering development and recovery from the earthquake that struck in 2015.

The areas that were worst hit by the quake, which killed 9,000 and destroyed half a million homes, voted on Sunday, with many expressing hope that sluggish reconstruction would be kickstarted by the political change.

&quot;I hope to see more development and better services in our district,&quot; said first-time voter Shanta Bhujel, 18, who cast his ballot in Chautara, a town east of the capital Kathmandu.

Polling station officials in Balephi, a small town in northern Sindhupalchowk district, sealed the plastic ballot boxes as the polls closed at 5 pm (1115 GMT) and loaded them into a truck to be transported to the district capital for storage.&nbsp;

Counting will only begin after the second phase of elections is held in the populous south on December 7, with results expected a few days later.

Elections were suspended and will be held again at two polling stations in the western district of Rukum after acid was sprinkled on ballot boxes and damaged the papers inside, said local official Bansi Kumar Acharya.

Meanwhile, voting was temporarily halted in another polling centre in the northeast after an explosive device was found. No injuries were reported.&nbsp;

Sporadic violence injured dozens in the lead-up to the polls, mostly blamed on a splinter faction of the Maoist Party. The faction pledged to disrupt the election.Many in the impoverished Himalayan nation walked for hours to reach their nearest polling station, while in the remote west voters also braved sub-zero temperatures and snow.

But nothing stopped a 114-year-old woman from casting her ballot in the western district of Baitadi.

The new constitution finally approved in 2015, mandates a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which should limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on much-needed development in the rest of the country.

Rules under the new charter allocate a proportion of seats in the federal and provincial assemblies to women and people from indigenous communities and the lowest Dalit caste.

The rules will also weed out some fringe parties from the parliaments and raise the bar for ousting a prime minister, leading to hopes that the next government could be the first to last a full five-year term.

&quot;Our vote this time is in the hope that next time vote the country is in a better condition,&quot; said hotel owner Bhakta Lal Shrestha after casting his ballot in Balephi just before polling closed. 
However, analysts warn that the impact of the changes could be limited, with the three parties that have dominated the political stage since the end of the conflict expected to take the lion&#39;s share of seats.

The Maoist Party of the former rebels has formed an electoral alliance with the communist CNP-UML, fielding candidates jointly in key races.

The powerful bloc has left the ruling party, the centrist Nepali Congress, on the back foot and forced to look to smaller parties in a bid to remain in power.

&quot;Since there is no real ideological difference between the two alliances anymore, what we need for stable politics is a majority government with a strong opposition to keep it in check,&quot; the English-language Nepali Times wrote in an editorial Sunday. &quot;At this moment, that is the best we can hope for.&quot;

The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state

Nepalis across the country's mountainous north voted Sunday in elections that could herald change after 20 ruinous years marked by a bloody Maoist insurgency, a devastating earthquake, and crippling political instability. The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state. More than two million people - around 65 per cent of eligible voters - cast their ballot for representatives in new national and provincial parliaments. Also read: Nepal begins historic vote, army says 'rogue' Maoists behind blasts The two-phase elections will establish the country's first provincial assemblies as laid out in a post-war constitution that aims to devolve power from the top-heavy central governments to seven newly created provinces. Nepal's tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy has been marred by the crippling instability that has seen 10 leaders hold power in 11 years - some of them more than once - hampering development and recovery from the earthquake that struck in 2015. The areas that were worst hit by the quake, which killed 9,000 and destroyed half a million homes, voted on Sunday, with many expressing hope that sluggish reconstruction would be kickstarted by the political change. "I hope to see more development and better services in our district," said first-time voter Shanta Bhujel, 18, who cast his ballot in Chautara, a town east of the capital Kathmandu. Polling station officials in Balephi, a small town in northern Sindhupalchowk district, sealed the plastic ballot boxes as the polls closed at 5 pm (1115 GMT) and loaded them into a truck to be transported to the district capital for storage. Counting will only begin after the second phase of elections is held in the populous south on December 7, with results expected a few days later. Elections were suspended and will be held again at two polling stations in the western district of Rukum after acid was sprinkled on ballot boxes and damaged the papers inside, said local official Bansi Kumar Acharya. Meanwhile, voting was temporarily halted in another polling centre in the northeast after an explosive device was found. No injuries were reported. Sporadic violence injured dozens in the lead-up to the polls, mostly blamed on a splinter faction of the Maoist Party. The faction pledged to disrupt the election.Many in the impoverished Himalayan nation walked for hours to reach their nearest polling station, while in the remote west voters also braved sub-zero temperatures and snow. But nothing stopped a 114-year-old woman from casting her ballot in the western district of Baitadi. The new constitution finally approved in 2015, mandates a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which should limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on much-needed development in the rest of the country. Rules under the new charter allocate a proportion of seats in the federal and provincial assemblies to women and people from indigenous communities and the lowest Dalit caste. The rules will also weed out some fringe parties from the parliaments and raise the bar for ousting a prime minister, leading to hopes that the next government could be the first to last a full five-year term. "Our vote this time is in the hope that next time vote the country is in a better condition," said hotel owner Bhakta Lal Shrestha after casting his ballot in Balephi just before polling closed. However, analysts warn that the impact of the changes could be limited, with the three parties that have dominated the political stage since the end of the conflict expected to take the lion's share of seats. The Maoist Party of the former rebels has formed an electoral alliance with the communist CNP-UML, fielding candidates jointly in key races. The powerful bloc has left the ruling party, the centrist Nepali Congress, on the back foot and forced to look to smaller parties in a bid to remain in power. "Since there is no real ideological difference between the two alliances anymore, what we need for stable politics is a majority government with a strong opposition to keep it in check," the English-language Nepali Times wrote in an editorial Sunday. "At this moment, that is the best we can hope for."

Nepalese vote for stability in historic polls

The US and South Korea announced today that they have agreed to install a high-tec weapons defence system called the&nbsp;Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) to the Korean peninsula.&nbsp;The US and South Korea began talks on deploying this system in February, after North Korea launched a long-range rocket following a fourth nuclear test in January. North Korea has carried out several missile launches, also.&nbsp; 
 
China&#39;s Foreign Ministry said on Friday the THAAD system would destabilise the security balance in the region without achieving anything to end North Korea&#39;s nuclear program. The deployment of a US missile defence system in South Korea would &quot;seriously damage&quot; regional security in northeast Asia, China said Friday, adding it strongly opposed the move. 
 
&quot;China strongly urges the United States and South Korea to stop the deployment process of the THAAD anti-missile system, not take any steps to complicate the regional situation and do nothing to harm China&#39;s strategic security interests,&quot; it said in a statement on its website. 
 
The deployment of the THAAD&nbsp;system announced by the US and South Korea would &quot;seriously damage the strategic security interests of countries in the region including China&quot;,and that&nbsp;the system would not aid the &quot;denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,&quot;&nbsp;Beijings foreign ministry said in a statement posted online. 
 
China is North Koreas largest trading partner and has been its key diplomatic protector for decades. But relations have soured over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear tests and long-range missile launches, with Beijing supporting UN sanctions.&nbsp;Still, analysts say it is concerned over any build up of US power on its doorstep, and values Pyongyang as a strategic bulwark. 
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of &quot;friendly relations&quot; to a visiting North Korean official last month, even after the envoy reportedly told Chinese officials Pyongyang would continue with its internationally condemned nuclear programme. 
 
Russia also warned Friday that the US deployment of an advanced missile defence system in South Korea would have &quot;irreparable consequences&quot;, echoing warnings by China of a threat to regional security. 
 
&quot;This missile defence system tends to undermine stability in the region...We hope that our partners will avoid any actions that could have irreparable consequences,&quot; the Russian foreign ministry said after the US and South Korea announced they would deploy the system to thwart potential attacks from North Korea. 
 
China is positioning itself as the dominant county in the region, claiming that the bulk of the South China Sea falls under its control.&nbsp; 
 
(WION, with inputs from AFP)

Government representatives from Russia and China each strongly denounce the move

The US and South Korea announced today that they have agreed to install a high-tec weapons defence system called the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) to the Korean peninsula. The US and South Korea began talks on deploying this system in February, after North Korea launched a long-range rocket following a fourth nuclear test in January. North Korea has carried out several missile launches, also. China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday the THAAD system would destabilise the security balance in the region without achieving anything to end North Korea's nuclear program. The deployment of a US missile defence system in South Korea would "seriously damage" regional security in northeast Asia, China said Friday, adding it strongly opposed the move. "China strongly urges the United States and South Korea to stop the deployment process of the THAAD anti-missile system, not take any steps to complicate the regional situation and do nothing to harm China's strategic security interests," it said in a statement on its website. The deployment of the THAAD system announced by the US and South Korea would "seriously damage the strategic security interests of countries in the region including China",and that the system would not aid the "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula," Beijings foreign ministry said in a statement posted online. China is North Koreas largest trading partner and has been its key diplomatic protector for decades. But relations have soured over Pyongyang's nuclear tests and long-range missile launches, with Beijing supporting UN sanctions. Still, analysts say it is concerned over any build up of US power on its doorstep, and values Pyongyang as a strategic bulwark. Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of "friendly relations" to a visiting North Korean official last month, even after the envoy reportedly told Chinese officials Pyongyang would continue with its internationally condemned nuclear programme. Russia also warned Friday that the US deployment of an advanced missile defence system in South Korea would have "irreparable consequences", echoing warnings by China of a threat to regional security. "This missile defence system tends to undermine stability in the region...We hope that our partners will avoid any actions that could have irreparable consequences," the Russian foreign ministry said after the US and South Korea announced they would deploy the system to thwart potential attacks from North Korea. China is positioning itself as the dominant county in the region, claiming that the bulk of the South China Sea falls under its control. (WION, with inputs from AFP)

US and South Korea to launch high-tech anti-missile system

representatives

Representatives, News on Representatives, stories on Representatives, articles on Representatives, Representatives stories at Wion, Representatives news, Representatives latest news