New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has defended the Union government’s decision to maintain restraint on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel, calling it “responsible statecraft” rather than moral surrender.
Tharoor said the war cannot be justified under international law and runs counter to long-held principles such as respect for sovereignty. Even so, he argued that India’s silence should not be interpreted as support for the conflict.
He noted that the Centre did not immediately issue a condolence message after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported killed, but said this was not necessarily condemnable. According to him, India must balance speaking for global justice with protecting its own national interests.
Tharoor warned that India could face significant fallout not only in the US but also across Gulf Arab countries that are facing Iranian missile and drone attacks. He pointed to large annual trade flows through the region, India’s dependence on Gulf oil and gas, and the welfare of around 9 million Indian workers and residents there.
He added that hasty decisions could endanger millions of lives, and said the government’s calm approach is necessary in the national interest. His remarks, coming amid earlier instances where he has differed from the Congress leadership while praising the Centre on certain issues, have triggered fresh chatter within the party.
