Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States, expressing hope that it would pave the way for lasting peace in West Asia while emphasising the need for uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.“We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. As we have continuously advocated earlier, deescalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict,” the MEA said in a statement.“The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.The statement comes after Iran, the United States and Israel announced a two-week ceasefire, with Tehran indicating it would enter negotiations with Washington in Islamabad starting Friday.US President Donald Trump initially said Iran had proposed a “workable” 10-point plan, but later dismissed it as fraudulent without elaborating. Hours before the ceasefire was announced, Trump had issued a stark warning, saying, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if Iran failed to agree to terms that included reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it supports Trump’s decision to pause strikes against Iran for two weeks. However, it clarified that the pause does not extend to Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, where over 1,500 people have been killed.Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be allowed under Iranian military management, though it remains unclear whether Tehran would fully ease its control over the key waterway.According to a regional official familiar with the negotiations, the plan could allow both Iran and Oman to levy fees on ships transiting the strait. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Iran may use the funds for post-war reconstruction.Despite the ceasefire, major disagreements between Iran and the United States remain unresolved, including issues related to Tehran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile capabilities and its regional proxy network, all cited by Washington and Israel as reasons for launching military action.Iran has also set broader conditions for ending the conflict, including the withdrawal of US combat forces from the region, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of its frozen assets.
