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By SJA Jafri + NDTV
TEHRAN/ NEW DELHI: India ceased purchasing Iranian oil last month after the United States refused to extend waivers on its oil trade with Iran. India was the second largest buyer of oil from Iran after China and Iranian oil exports have come down to less than 1 million barrels per day (bpd) from a peak of 2.8 million bpd last year with suggestions that it is likely to decline to as low as 500,000 bpd from this month.
As U.S.-Iran tensions rise in the Middle East, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif visited New Delhi for discussions with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to seek India’s support in the ongoing crisis with Washington while Zarif described his talks with India as “excellent” and blamed the U.S. for “escalating the situation in the region,” New Delhi was circumspect about the outcome.
In the mean time the prominent diplomats and experts claimed that the relations between India and Iran have reached at borderline because of some misunderstandings and poor policies which ultimately may be caused bad effects for both nations as well as entire region.
Scanning Indo-Iran relation highlight the mischievous/ hoodwinking role of India to exploit Iran vis-a-vis Pakistan and also sensitize Iranian nation to remain sentient in this regard
Iran -Pakistan relations witnessed an unpleasant jolt when Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) upped the ante by using threatening language against Pakistan in the backdrop of terror incident in Kash (Iran) on 17 Feb 2019. Pakistan prudently avoided escalating any tension and FM Qureshi contacted Iranian counterpart Jawad Zarif while offering condolences and cooperation to jointly conduct anti-terro rism operation.
On 21 Mar 2019, Pak forces after conducting successful operation at Amari district Chaghai, Balochistan recovered five abducted Iranian soldiers from captivity of terrorists. It may be recalled that 14 Iranian Basij (volunteer forces) and border guard forces we’re abducted by terrorists in Mirjaveh border point with Pakistan in Sistan-Baluchistan province on 15 Oct last year . Five of the abducted guards were then got freed on 15 Nov during an op.
The whole episode of creating bad taste b/w Iran and Pakistan seems a well choreographed scheming consisting of series of events. The “Kash incident” took place just days before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bfn Salman (MBS) visited Pakistan and signed over $20 billion of deals. From a zero-sum security-centric perspective, some in Iran might have thought that “history was repeating itself’ and that both countries were conspiring against it.
Moreover, it also preceded/ coincided with lndo-Pak escalation of tension in the backdrop of Pulwama incident leading to assumption that Iran’s rhetoric was actually part of India’s regional Hybrid War against Pakistan and further reinforcing the notion that the Islamic Republic has become New Delhi’s proxy against Islamabad.
Iran avoided overreacting when MBS went to India afterwards. While Iran harshly criticizes KSA for its secret ties with “Israel”, it’s silent about Modi publicly strolling with Netanayhu barefoot on a Mediterranean beach in summer 2017, proves that how Iranians regard India.
In fact Iran was being tricked into making Balochistan “The New Kurdistan” and Islamic Republic’s “deep state” divisions are being masterfully exploited by India in order to turn Iran against Pakistan in the aftermath of terrorist attack along the shared border in the transnational region of Balochistan. India also wanted to take advantage of the situation to obtain basing rights for its navy in Chabahar, as well as pull Iran away from Tal”ban.
India has tricked Ira on many occasions. In 2009, India joined US in voting against Iran in a resolution passed by UN atomic watchdog IAEA censuring its nuclear programme and demanding for end to uranium enrichment. India however, knotted ties with Iran keeping in view energy requirements and seeking access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. As a part of “Mandalay philosophy of Chankaya”, Iran’s border conti uit with Pakistan was also seen as a boon in the bilateral relations context.
As China announced CPEC to create a land based link with Middle East, India hurried to secure Iran Oman-India pipeline and also stepped up activities to develop Chabahar port to eclipse Gwadar port. India also tricked Iran and secretly placed KBY (under cover of a Muslim trader) there for exploiting proxies against Pakistan.
India in continuation of her nefarious scheming against Pakistan, struck on 18 Apr 19, when an Indian proxy of so-called Baloch ethnic gp off-boarded/killed 14 AF pers near Buzi Top, Coastal Highway, Balochistan. Pak’s PM IK during his visit to Iran (21-22 Apr 19) emphasizing for expanded coop b/w both countries against terrorism, urged/pledged for not allowing the soil for activity against each other.
Iran is well aware of its geostrategic importance, both in general and specifically in terms of how it could be used by the US through India to “contain China”, so some of its “deep state” factions might be betting that they can reach a quid-pro-quo with America whereby Washington relieves some of the Hybrid War pressure upon it in exchange for Tehran facilitating New Delhi’s access to the Golden Ring’s Central Asian core. However, Iran would be mistaken for thinking that its strategic security can be assured more by US-allied India than China and the other multipolar Great Powers of the Golden Ring. Moreover, Iranian public need to take stock of the sit as in the wake of USA imposed ban, India silenetly acquiesced to USA and announced not to purchase oil from Iran.
It is time that Iranian nation may be sensitized that if Tehran has the political will to team up with Islamabad against terrorism, turn Balochista n into a bridge for regional integration and remain cautious of mischievous activities of India and like minded countries, it can create a win- win situation for both Iran and Pakistan.
‘India will follow its national interest’
Amid US sanctions, Iran on Tuesday said it believes India will act in its national interest on the issue of oil imports and Tehran can act as a “protector” of India’s energy security.
Iran’s Ambassador to India Ali Chegeni also asserted that his country can provide “affordability, accessibility and security” of energy to India.
The Iranian envoy also alluded to the possibility of using barter, rupee and European mechanisms for trade in oil with India and other countries to circumvent the US sanctions.
His remarks assume significance as they come days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had assured India that America is “doing everything” to ensure crude oil imports to New Delhi in the wake of the situation arising out of sanctions on importing oil from Iran.
Mike Pompeo had said India has made “hard choices” to cut off oil imports from Iran.
Referring to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s remarks at the joint press interaction with Pompeo in New Delhi last week, Chegeni said: “If Jaishankar said affordability, accessibility and security of energy, Iran is the only country that can provide all these aspects of energy for India. We expect from a friend… that we understand each other, follow our national interest and Iran is ready for being the protector of energy security of India.”
Chegeni said probably the oil import might have been stopped but Iran had not got any “negative signal” from India that they would do so in future. “India is a friend forever. We understand that India will act according to its national interest. As we understand from Jaishankar’s statement that India will follow its national interest. That is acceptable for everybody,” he said.
“We think India is under pressure, but we believe India is a friend of Iran. India’s relations with other countries do not affect us. Our relations with India are based on history, it is based on long-term mutual benefit and interest,” the envoy said.
Asked about the possibility of Chabahar port project getting affected despite not coming under US sanctions, Chegeni said it showed the “hypocrisy” of Americans that they say something else and do something else. He alleged that the US was applying “indirect” sanctions on the project.
“We wish the golden gate (Chabahar) will not be affected, but indirectly it could be impacted,” he said.
The envoy also accused the US of indulging in “terrorist acts” by applying economic sanctions on various countries. “I am calling US of being a state terrorist against Cuba, Venezuela and Iran… They will isolate themselves,” he claimed.
On India making up its oil needs from Saudi Arabia and the US, Chegeni said Iran does not force its consumers and India will decide for itself.
He also asserted that the oil issue will not affect India-Iran ties. Chegeni also claimed that many countries were buying oil from Iran both officially and unofficially. “Our oil is sold, destinations are secret,” he asserted.
The envoy also hoped that India’s trade relationship with Iran will continue to expand. “Up to April, our bilateral trade between the two countries was 18 billion, while in previous years it was 13.7 billion,” he said.
The envoy said Iran’s Pasargad Bank had got all its clearances and will open a branch in Mumbai soon.
As six-month-long exemptions from US sanctions to buy oil from Iran ended in May, India had said it will deal with the issue based on three factors — the country’s energy security, commercial consideration and economic interests.
