Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the Middle East conflict and its implications, including the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, in their first bilateral meeting since the US-Israeli-Iran war began in February. Araghchi later said that his talks with Jaishankar were fruitful, discussing regional developments and clarifying that Iran will always fulfill its “historic duty as protector of security in Hormuz”.Seeking to address India’s concerns over disruption in energy supplies due to the Hormuz blockade, the Iranian minister said, “Iran is a reliable partner of all friendly nations, which can count on the security of commerce.” Iranian officials had said ahead of the BRICS meeting that Tehran would work with friendly countries such as India to facilitate the movement of commercial ships through the strait.Speaking at a press conference later, Araghchi also said India can play a bigger role in the region to help diplomacy and promote peace and security. The External Affairs Minister blamed the US for the economic consequences of the conflict, saying, “India is a friend of almost all the countries in the Persian Gulf, the northern and southern part of this Gulf. Therefore, we appreciate any positive, constructive role played by India in the region.” The Iranian Foreign Minister’s remarks are similar to those of his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, in which he had said that India can contribute to diplomatic efforts for long-term peace. “Pakistan is helping to establish dialogue between the US and Iran to resolve urgent problems. If they look for a long-term mediator between Iran and its Arab friends, this role can be played by India given its vast diplomatic experience,” Lavrov had said. Asked about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi further said that the strait is open and all ships can pass through except ships from countries at war with Iran. “We have allowed many Indian ships to pass. Safe passage of all ships is our policy and in our interest. At the same time, we have a blockade by the US and there is insecurity in the region because of their aggression,” the Iranian minister said. Many Indian LPG tankers are still awaiting approval from Iran, with India diplomatically engaged with Tehran on the issue. It is said that Jaishankar stressed the need for freedom of navigation in the meeting. Araghchi also said that the talks mediated by Pakistan have not failed but added that the situation is difficult. The minister said, “There is still hope. When we met in Islamabad we could not reach any agreement, mainly because of the maximalist stance adopted by the US and their famous behavior of shifting the goalposts. Therefore, we are familiar with those tactics, and we cannot accept anything beyond a fair and balanced agreement.”