India can play ‘greater role’ for peace in West Asia, says Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in India for a three-day visit (May 13–15, 2026) to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Araghchi hel...

What Happened

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in India for a three-day visit (May 13–15, 2026) to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Araghchi held talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and stated that India can play a "greater role" for peace in West Asia, adding: "We will welcome any constructive role by India."
Araghchi confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels except those belonging to countries at war with Iran, and that Iran is ready to facilitate safe passage of neutral shipping.
The Iranian minister stated that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is "very complicated" amid the ongoing US-Iran military conflict.
Araghchi acknowledged that US-Iran nuclear negotiations are "suffering from trust," with Iran citing insufficient grounds to trust American commitments.
Pakistan's mediation role was described as "not failed yet" — signalling continued diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the US-Iran conflict.
Iran expressed that it "has no trust in Americans" but reaffirmed its readiness for a negotiated settlement as the only viable path to ending the West Asian crisis.

Static Topic Bridges

Strait of Hormuz: The World's Most Critical Oil Chokepoint

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It lies between Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south. It is the world's single most important oil transit chokepoint.

Location: Between Iran (north) and Oman/UAE (south); connects Persian Gulf to Gulf of Oman.
Width at narrowest: approximately 33 km (21 miles), with two 3.2 km-wide shipping lanes in each direction.
Oil flow (2024): approximately 20 million barrels per day (b/d) — roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption.
About 88% of all oil leaving the Persian Gulf transits the Strait of Hormuz.
In 2024, over one-quarter of total global seaborne oil trade passed through the strait.
LNG: approximately one-fifth of globally traded LNG (primarily from Qatar) transited the strait in 2024.
Fertiliser: up to 30% of internationally traded fertilisers normally transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Main oil recipients: China, India, Japan, South Korea.
India imports approximately 85–90% of its crude oil; a significant share transits the Strait of Hormuz.
No adequate bypass exists — the only alternative pipelines have limited capacity.

Connection to this news: Iran's warning that the Strait of Hormuz situation is "very complicated" — while simultaneously offering safe passage to neutral vessels — is a direct signal to India, which depends heavily on Persian Gulf oil. Any closure or significant disruption would trigger an energy crisis for India.

India-Iran Relations: Strategic Importance and Constraints

India and Iran share a multi-layered relationship encompassing energy, connectivity (Chabahar Port, INSTC), civilisational ties, and mutual interest in stability in Afghanistan and West Asia. However, the relationship has been constrained since 2018 by US sanctions on Iran, which forced India to reduce oil imports from Iran significantly.

Chabahar Port: Located in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province; India signed a 10-year agreement with Iran in May 2024 for the Shahid Beheshti terminal via India Ports Global Limited (IPGL); investment commitment of approximately $120 million.
INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor): A 7,200 km multi-modal network of rail, road, and sea routes connecting India to Iran, Russia, the Caucasus, and Europe — reducing transit time and cost compared to the Suez Canal route.
India's bilateral trade with Iran peaked at approximately $17 billion (oil-inclusive); collapsed to approximately $1.68 billion in 2024-25 following US sanctions.
US sanctions waiver for Chabahar: The US had granted India a partial waiver, which was revoked in September 2025, with a temporary extension until April 26, 2026.
Iran is a founding member of OPEC (1960) and holds the world's second-largest natural gas reserves and fourth-largest proven oil reserves.

Connection to this news: Araghchi's visit to India amid the US-Iran conflict underscores India's strategic position as a non-aligned actor with stakes in both stability and energy access. India's reluctance to take sides — combined with its Chabahar investment and connectivity ambitions — makes it a potentially useful diplomatic bridge.

India's Strategic Autonomy and the "Greater Role" Framing

India's foreign policy doctrine of "strategic autonomy" enables it to engage simultaneously with rival powers (US, Russia, Iran, Israel) without formal alignment. In West Asia, India has historically maintained relationships with all major players — Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Gulf states — making it a potential mediator or facilitator. India's significant diaspora in the Gulf region (approximately 9 million Indian nationals) and its energy dependence add both leverage and vulnerability.

Indian diaspora in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states: approximately 9 million — the largest source of remittances to India.
India's remittance inflows from the Gulf: among the highest in the world; India is the world's largest recipient of remittances overall.
India abstained or adopted balanced positions in UN votes related to the Russia-Ukraine and Gaza conflicts, consistent with strategic autonomy.
BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting (May 2026): India hosted; Iran joined BRICS in January 2024.
India's non-alignment tradition: rooted in the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), founded 1961 at the Belgrade Conference.

Connection to this news: Iran's explicit call for India to play a "greater role" for peace reflects Iran's assessment that India — with its cross-regional relationships, energy dependence, and BRICS membership — has both the motivation and the diplomatic standing to engage constructively.

Key Facts & Data

Araghchi's India visit: three days, May 13–15, 2026; occasion — BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Strait of Hormuz oil flow (2024): approximately 20 million barrels per day — ~20% of global petroleum liquids consumption.
Chabahar Port agreement: May 2024, 10-year deal; India committed approximately $120 million investment.
INSTC length: 7,200 km multi-modal corridor (India → Iran → Russia → Europe).
India-Iran bilateral trade collapsed from ~$17 billion (peak) to ~$1.68 billion (2024-25) due to sanctions.
Iran joined BRICS: January 2024.
Indian diaspora in GCC: approximately 9 million nationals.
Araghchi's position: "Hormuz is open to all except those vessels of countries who are in war with us."
Iran holds world's 2nd-largest natural gas reserves and 4th-largest proven oil reserves.