Taken Up the Matter With Iran: India on Mention of Kashmir in Iran-Pakistan Joint Statement

New Delhi: India on Thursday has “raised” the reference to Kashmir in the joint statement between Iran and Pakistan with Tehran.

At the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have raised this matter with the Iranian authorities. We have taken up the matter with them.” He was answering a question soliciting India’s reaction to the mention of Kashmir in the joint statement.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi wrapped up a three-day visit to Pakistan, following which a joint statement was issued on Wednesday.

“Both sides highlighted the need to resolve the issue of Kashmir through dialogue and peaceful means based on the will of the people of that region, and in accordance with international law,” said the bilateral document.

This is not the first time that Kashmir has been mentioned in a joint statement between Iran and Pakistan, but there has been significant modification since the last time.

The joint statement issued during then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Tehran in April 2019 stated that Kashmir had to be resolved through “dialogue and peaceful means based on the will of the people of that region and in line with the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council”.

Pakistan regards the UNSC resolutions of 1948 on Kashmir as pivotal for internationalizing the Kashmir conflict, whereas India insists on treating it solely as a bilateral issue.

However, India has clearly taken offence at the mere mention of Kashmir, even though Iran may have been balancing between India and Pakistan in the joint statement by referring to “will of the people” and going silent on UNSC resolutions at the same time.

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