NSA Doval meets Iranian official amid US-Iran talks; focus on West Asia and BRICS
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Monday held a bilateral meeting with Iran’s Deputy Secretary for Defence Affairs, Ghadir Nezamipour, on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS National Security Advisers’ Meeting in New Delhi. The meeting comes at a time when indirect talks between the United States and Iran are underway in Switzerland to de-escalate tensions in West Asia.
Nezamipour, a senior official from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), is in the Indian capital to participate in the BRICS NSA meeting scheduled for Tuesday. The BRICS grouping, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded its security dialogue in recent years.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X that the two leaders reviewed the ongoing situation in West Asia. They also discussed cooperation under the BRICS platform and the state of India-Iran bilateral ties.
India has consistently called for restraint and dialogue to resolve conflicts in West Asia. The meeting between Doval and Nezamipour underscores India’s engagement with key regional players amid the volatile security environment. Iran is a significant partner for India in the region, particularly in areas such as energy security and the development of the Chabahar port, which provides India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The BRICS NSA meeting is expected to address a range of global and regional security challenges, including counter-terrorism, cyber security, and the situation in Afghanistan. India, as a leading voice in the grouping, has emphasised the need for multilateral cooperation to address common threats.
The US-Iran talks in Switzerland, mediated by Oman, are seen as a crucial step to prevent a wider conflict. While details of those discussions remain guarded, the Doval-Nezamipour meeting indicates that New Delhi is actively coordinating with Tehran on stability in West Asia.
Observers note that India's neutral stance and its relationships with both the US and Iran allow it to play a constructive role in regional diplomacy. The meeting reaffirms India's commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes and its adherence to constitutional values of dialogue and diplomacy.
