TEHRAN – After a fatal terrorist attack was killed on April 22 in the contested Himalayas region of Pahargam, where 26 tourists were killed, Iran has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to alleviate tensions in the region.
In a Saturday evening phone conversation with Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif, Iranian President Masuud Pezeshkian expressed the need for dialogue.
The Iranian president also called out Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to condemn the terrorist attacks in India. Modi thanked Pezeshkian for his signifying Iranian despair, saying, “Your empathy is deeply appreciated, especially given Iran’s tragic experience of terrorism.”
Parallel pushes were also made by Saudi Arabia when Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Fahan called separately with India’s S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Ishakdar to discuss the attack and its cross-border meaning.
China, a key player in the region, said on Monday it hopes India and Pakistan will exercise control and welcome all measures that will help cool the situation, according to Reuters.
It is said that the attack was previously claimed by unknown resistance (TRF). India denounced the Pakistani elements for the attack, but Islamabad denied any involvement. Pakistan has stated its willingness to cooperate with investigations conducted by international inspectors.
The attack took place in areas that were only accessible on foot or horses.
India has said it has identified two of the three extremists as Pakistanis, but Islamabad has denied any role and is calling for a neutral investigation.
Both countries have also replaced small arms since the terrorist attacks.
Pahargam is the main pilgrimage route known as the Amalnathyatra, which is held annually and exposed to previous attacks.
New Delhi closed major border intersections and expelled the military, navy and aviation counsel from Pakistan’s High Commissioner in New Delhi. India has also been in force since 1960. The Indus Valley begins in Tibet and flows through China- and India-controlled Kashmir before it arrives in Pakistan.
Pakistan said attempts to divert water from Pakistan would be considered an act of war. Pakistan halted all trade with India, closed airspace and expelled Indian diplomats.
The attack came the day after Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in India with his family.
US President Donald Trump condemned the attack. Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Israel, France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates have also issued statements denounced the terrorist attacks.
history:
The Kashmir region is divided into India, Pakistan and China, but is fully claimed by both India and Pakistan. The area has around 20 million people living there. There are 14.5 million people living in India-controlled territory, with around 6 million in Pakistan-controlled territory and fewer than thousand in China-controlled territory. It lies at the confluence of important strategic, economic and religious interests.
The modern history of the Kashmir conflict dates back to 1947, when British India was divided into the majority of Hindu India and the majority of Muslims Pakistan. Today, the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, part of the broader regions of Kashmir, was then ruled by the Hindu Maharajaharishin.
That changed after Pakistani guerrilla fighters attempted to take over the area and defeat him. The result was the first Indian-Pakistan war as the Maharaja sought India’s help to drive away Indian invaders and in return he accused his prince’s nation of New Delhi.
Today, India manages the most populous portion of the region, including Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh. Pakistan holds parts of North Kashmir, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan. Meanwhile, China controls the densely populated Aksai jaw region of the northeast that India claims, and Shaksgam Valley, where India does not recognize China’s control.
In August 2019, the Modi government revoked Article 370 and abolished the special autonomous positions of Jammu and Kashmir. This was hailed as a “major achievement” by New Delhi, but was condemned as illegal in Islamabad.
Most parts of the world are either densely militarized or persistently volatile. India and Pakistan have been in war three times. However, in the past, both sides were not nuclear.
Today, the possibility of a nuclear conflict is very realistic and requires international intervention for the seizure of hostility.