No Condemnation from Modi, Only 'Deep Concern' Over US Strikes in Phone Call With Iran President

New Delhi: Several hours after the United States launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday (June 22), Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing “deep concern” over the escalating situation and calling for “immediate de-escalation” through dialogue and diplomacy.

The call was initiated by Pezeshkian.

In a post on X, Modi said the two leaders discussed “the current situation in detail” and reiterated India’s support for a return to regional peace and stability. He emphasised diplomacy and dialogue as the only viable path forward, noting the need for an “early restoration of regional peace, security and stability.”

Narendra Modi's tweet

This was India’s first public response since US President Donald Trump announced that American bombers had targeted three Iranian nuclear sites to, in his words, “destroy Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity.” According to media reports quoting US officials, bunker buster bombs were dropped on the Fordow and Natanz facilities, while cruise missiles were fired at Natanz and a second site in Isfahan from submarines.

Only two months ago, Pezeshkian had spoken to Modi by phone following the terror attack in Pahalgam, which he had strongly condemned.

According to a press release from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it was President Pezeshkian who had initiated the latest call. The Iranian president’s website noted that he has been in touch with several world leaders, including those of Egypt, Pakistan, France, and India.

Modi’s statement, confined to expressing “deep concern at the recent escalations,” made clear that India was steering clear of any condemnation of the US strikes. There was no reference to the attacks themselves, nor any attempt to assign responsibility, with only broad terms used such as the “current situation” and “latest escalations.”

Also read: World Capitals React to US Bombing of Iranian Nuclear Facilities

India’s call for talks comes even as Iran has insisted it was engaged in negotiations with European countries over its nuclear programme before Israel began targeting Iranian sites, triggering the current spiral. Just days before the US airstrikes, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had held meetings with European counterparts.

This was also emphasised by President Pezeshkian, as per the readout of the Iranian president’s office, published in Farsi. He stressed that Iran had been engaged in negotiations with the US at the time of the attack, which he said was proof of “how hollow and baseless” Washington’s stated commitment to dialogue had always been.

“What the world is witnessing today is a worrying and unacceptable trend, in which a country operating within the framework of international regulations and obligations – especially under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency – is directly and openly attacked by the United States and the Zionist regime,” Pezeshkian stated, as per the readout. “This action shows that all their claims regarding peace, democracy, human rights and adherence to international rules are nothing but slogans and deception of public opinion.”

He further alleged that the United States and certain European countries had supported Israeli strikes on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called Modi on June 13, during which he reportedly “shared India’s concerns and emphasised the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region.”

The Iranian president also dismissed allegations by the US and Israel that Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons as a “big and historic lie.”

“According to the clear fatwa of the Supreme Leader, the construction and use of nuclear weapons is religiously and morally forbidden and has no place in the defence doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying. “All the propaganda against Iran on the global stage is pure falsehood.”

He added that Iran would never accept efforts to prevent it from pursuing its legal and legitimate rights. “We reserve the right to defend our nation and territorial integrity,” he said.

Later, at a press conference in Istanbul on Sunday afternoon, Araghchi declined to specify how Iran would respond, stating that the country “reserves all options.” He added, “Of course, in general, the door to dialogue and negotiation should always remain open, but the current situation is not normal. My country has been under attack, under aggression, and we have to respond based on our legitimate right of self-defence.”

According to the MEA, Modi thanked Iran for its “continued support being extended for safe return and repatriation of the Indian community.” The readout added that the two leaders reiterated their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas including trade, science and technology, and people-to-people ties.

Before Israel’s June 13 missile strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, more than 10,000 Indian nationals – comprising of students, professionals, seafarers and businesspeople – were living in Iran. So far, 1,428 Indian nationals have been evacuated under Operation Sindhu. With most airspace closed, special flights are operating from the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, while others are crossing land borders into Armenia or Turkmenistan to board commercial flights to Delhi.

As the region braces for Iran’s response, the expanding conflict is set to affect India directly – both because of its large diaspora in the region and because of its heavy dependence on energy imports from the Gulf.

Iran has already signalled that it may restrict maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Amid concerns about the key oil transit chokepoint through which India’s energy supplies pass, Union minister of petrol Hardeep Singh Puri, in a post on X, said, "...we have diversified our supplies in the past few years and a large volume of our supplies do not come through the Strait of Hormuz now. Our Oil Marketing Companies have supplies of several weeks and continue to receive energy supplies from several routes. We will take all necessary steps to ensure stability of supplies of fuel to our citizens."

Oil prices, which are already volatile, are expected to spike further when markets reopen. Since Israel’s initial missile strikes on Iran ten days ago, crude prices have already risen by 10%.

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