Congress faults govt’s diplomacy as US accords ‘new role’ to Pak in West Asia peace talks

New Delhi: Amid the US-Iran talks in Islamabad, the Congress on Saturday targeted the Union government for its diplomatic inability to prevent the US from according to Pakistan a “new role” in the West Asia peace process.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary Communications In-Charge, on social media platform X, said, “The US-Iran meeting is beginning today in Islamabad. The entire world, including India, are hoping that this is the beginning of a durable peace process between the two countries that will not get derailed by Israel’s continuing aggression in its neighbourhood.”

“Peace in West Asia must return quickly. The Strait of Hormuz must once again revert to the situation that prevailed before the US-Israel assault on Iran began on Feb 28…,” the Congress leader said.

He noted that Pakistan’s reported role “undermines” India’s long-standing strategy of diplomatically isolating Islamabad over terrorism.

In a post on X, made hours after the ceasefire announcement, Ramesh said, “The entire world will cautiously welcome the two-week ceasefire in the West Asia conflict between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other. The conflict had begun on Feb 28 with the targeted assassinations of the topmost echelons of the regime in Iran.”

The veteran Congress leader also linked the developments to India’s diplomatic positioning, saying that the hostilities began shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, which he claimed, “diminished India’s global stature and standing”.

Ramesh also questioned why India could not outshine Pakistan in the Gulf conflict-related talks.

“Why didn’t India as the current President of BRICS+ launch any peace or mediation initiative — especially since Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia are members of the BRICs+?” the Congress leader asked in a post on X.

Ramesh raised questions on Indian diplomacy, saying, “How has Pakistan managed to carve out a new role for itself despite its role in the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025 and the diplomatic engagement India mounted to isolate it following the terror attack?”

The veteran Congress leader said, “This failure is especially damming because the Manmohan Singh-led Congress government had very effectively isolated Pakistan after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.”

IANS