Trump calls Modi, US considers peace talks with Iran

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation in West Asia, including the need to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy waterway that remains under Iranian blockade. Modi reiterated India’s support for de-escalation and restoration of peace as soon as possible. Trump’s call to Modi, five days after announcing a delay in a military strike on Iranian factories, raised hopes for an early end to military hostilities amid reports that Washington was considering sending Vice President Vance to Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials. It was also the first conversation between the two leaders since their phone call in early February, after which Trump announced a trade deal and reduced tariffs on India from 50% to 18%. Modi posted on According to reports in India, Modi pointed out that the safe passage of ships through the strait is crucial to global peace, stability and economic well-being. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his counterpart Marco Rubio on Monday about the conflict, its likely impact on the international economy and India’s energy security. U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gore, who reported Trump’s call to Modi on social media, also told a news channel that the president was keeping Modi “in the loop.” Trump and Modi also spoke on the same day, with the former appearing to support Pakistan’s efforts to play a mediator role in the conflict. While Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has publicly offered to host talks between the United States and Iran to “comprehensively resolve” the war that began on February 28, Trump shared a screenshot of Shehbaz’s post on his Truth social platform. Although Iran has allowed several Indian ships to pass through the strait in the past two weeks, many Indian ships remain stuck at the choke point. Government sources said India was still in diplomatic engagement with Tehran to facilitate the movement of the ships. Jaishankar met Iranian Ambassador to India Mohammad Fatali on Tuesday and expressed India’s concerns over the situation while thanking Iran for its support to Indian nationals. Modi also spoke to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumar Dissanayake on Tuesday to discuss the evolving situation in West Asia, with a special focus on disruptions affecting global energy security, as he said. “We reviewed progress on key initiatives aimed at strengthening India-Sri Lanka energy cooperation and enhancing regional security. As close and trusted partners, we reaffirm our commitment to work closely to address common challenges,” Modi said in a social media post. India has yet to formally respond to Trump’s postponement of military action against Iranian energy facilities, with the MEA saying only that the government is closely monitoring developments related to the conflict. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday that both Modi and Jaishankar stressed in their contacts that peace can be restored only through dialogue and diplomacy. Like many of America’s European allies, India has shown little interest in joining a U.S.-led naval coalition to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.