Amid Marco Rubio’s India Visit, Tehran Engages New Delhi On Regional Security

Amid the high-profile India visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, India and Iran on Monday held discussions on the evolving regional situation and bilateral cooperation.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi spoke over the phone with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as diplomatic engagements intensified in New Delhi.

Confirming the conversation, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that the two sides exchanged views on recent regional developments and reviewed ongoing India-Iran cooperation.

The call came at a time when Marco Rubio is in India on a four-day visit that has included meetings with top Indian leadership as well as extensive discussions on Indo-Pacific security, strategic ties and regional stability.

On Monday, Rubio visited the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra along with his wife Jeanette D Rubio before travelling to Jaipur, where he is scheduled to tour key heritage sites including Amer Fort and City Palace.

Earlier during his visit, Rubio held extensive talks in New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He also visited the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata at the start of his India tour.

Rubio is expected to return to New Delhi for the upcoming Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting before concluding his visit on May 26.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said negotiations involving Iran were progressing positively and suggested that a future agreement could reshape the geopolitical landscape of West Asia. Trump also renewed calls for more Muslim-majority countries to join the Abraham Accords.

According to Trump, he discussed the issue with several regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, among others.