EAM Jaishankar Engages with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Amid Regional Tensions

Significant Diplomatic Engagement at Raisina Dialogue 2026

New Delhi, March 6: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, during the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi on Friday.

This meeting occurs against the backdrop of escalating tensions in West Asia, following the US-Israel military strikes on Iran on February 28, which aimed to undermine Tehran's missile capabilities and military infrastructure.

The initial phase of this operation resulted in the deaths of key Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Tehran to retaliate with drone and missile strikes targeting US interests and allied forces in the region.

The 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue, a premier conference focusing on geopolitics and geo-economics, began on March 5 in New Delhi, featuring a diverse group of global leaders, policymakers, and strategic analysts.

This three-day event, organized by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, gathers heads of state, ministers, scholars, industry leaders, think tanks, and media representatives to discuss urgent global issues.

During the Raisina Dialogue, EAM Jaishankar also met with several dignitaries, including French Minister Benjamin Haddad, Germany's State Secretary Niels Annen, and Tanzania's Deputy Foreign Minister Ng'waru Jumanne Maghembe.

Additionally, he engaged with Robert Vass, founder and President of GLOBESEC think-tank, and Mark Leonard, Co-founder and Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

The Raisina Dialogue, running from March 5 to 7, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Finland's President Alexander Stubb attending as the Chief Guest and delivering the keynote address.

According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, the theme for this year's edition is "Saṁskāra – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement.” Over the three days, global decision-makers and thought leaders will engage in discussions across six thematic pillars: (i) Contested Frontiers: Power, Polarity, and Periphery; (ii) Repairing the Commons: New Groups, New Guardians, New Avenues; (iii) White Whale: The Pursuit of Agenda 2030; (iv) The Eleventh Hour: Climate, Conflict, and the Cost of Delay; (v) Tomorrowland: Towards a Tech-topia; (vi) Trade in the Time of Tariffs: Recovery, Resilience, Reinvention.