New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday attacked the Modi government over a newly released “14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” between the United States and Iran, calling it a diplomatic setback for India and a boost for Pakistan’s regional standing.
The reaction comes after US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian virtually signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending hostilities between the two countries on Wednesday.
The MoU aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching a 60-day process to negotiate a final agreement on sanctions and Iran’s nuclear programme.
In a post on X, Ramesh said the fact that the deal is called the “Islamabad MOU” reflects Pakistan’s “new-found regional standing and global influence”, a country he claimed had been “isolated on the global stage” by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Earlier in October 2025, speaking on the Mumbai terror attacks, Congress’s former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram disclosed that he was inclined towards retaliatory action against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but was ultimately persuaded against it.
“It did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution. I did discuss it with the Prime Minister and other people who mattered. The PM had discussed this matter when the attack was going on, I can surmise. And the conclusion was largely influenced by the MEA and the IFS that we should not physically react to the situation, but we should employ diplomatic means,” he stated.
The Congress veteran explained that the decision to exercise restraint came under significant global pressure.
“The conclusion was reached amid pressure from the world that was descending upon Delhi to tell us that don’t start a war,” he said.
CNN reported that the United States released the official text of the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Ramesh described the development as a “severe setback to both the substance and style of Prime Minister Modi’s foreign policy” and warned that Pakistan’s deeper embedding in West Asia’s security architecture has “grave and great implications for India”.
Ramesh termed the MOU a “major advance” if it holds, but cautioned it could become a “Memorandum of Misunderstanding”. He said the next 60 days would be crucial. He added that Iran has secured “very significant and even unexpected gains”, while GCC countries that faced Iranian counter-attacks have “cautiously welcomed” the deal but will likely reassess ties with other nations.
Targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Congress leader called the MOU a “definite defeat” for him, saying Netanyahu stands “isolated internationally” with even US President Donald Trump expressing anger and frustration.
Ramesh alleged that only PM Modi remains “steadfast” in support of Netanyahu’s actions in Lebanon, Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and said this “blind devotion” is “costing our country dearly”.
He also claimed the MOU is a “serious blow to the US” which, along with Israel, started the war with Iran on Feb 28, 2026 with “maximalist aims that have just not been realised”.
Ramesh further criticised PM Modi’s engagement with Trump, citing the MEA readout of their bilateral meeting last night as the “latest evidence” of “appeasement” that he called “shameful and actually anti-national”.
The 14-point agreement includes an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations, including in Lebanon, and a pledge to conclude negotiations on a final deal within 60 days, extendable by mutual consent.
Under the memorandum, the United States will begin removing its naval blockade and related restrictions, while Iran will facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz free of charge for an initial 60-day period.
The document also outlines plans for the phased lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, Treasury waivers for Iranian oil exports, and a US-backed reconstruction and economic development programme for Iran worth at least USD 300 billion. (ANI)
Related reading
