Iranian and Russian Ambassadors Refute Claims of Indian ‘Betrayal’

In a significant diplomatic clarification, the Iranian Ambassador to India confirmed on Friday that Iran has granted India permission to use the Strait of Hormuz, effectively dismissing recent allegations of Indian betrayal toward Iran and Russia.

“Yes, because India is our friend. You will see it within two or three hours,” the ambassador stated in response to an RT India inquiry about conflicting reports regarding Iran’s stance on Indian access to the strategic waterway. The confirmation followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian since the outbreak of the Third Gulf War, while India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar conducted his fourth call with his Iranian counterpart.

This diplomatic exchange directly contradicts claims made by Pepe Escobar, a prominent commentator associated with Russian media circles, who recently published articles alleging that India had “betrayed” both Russia and Iran. Escobar’s assertions gained traction after he shared an AI-generated video, now debunked, purporting to show India’s Army Chief providing Israel with coordinates for an Iranian vessel that was subsequently sunk by U.S. forces.

Escobar, who maintains connections with high-ranking Russian officials including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Duma Deputy Chairman Alexander Babakov, and Eurasian Economic Commission’s Sergey Glazyev, has cultivated a reputation as “the voice of Russian insiders” and “Russia’s BRICS guru.” His affiliation with the Valdai Club, Russia’s premier think tank, has further cemented his standing in Russian media ecosystems.

In his two-part series on the Third Gulf War, Escobar claimed to possess “privileged info” suggesting that “India has betrayed, sequentially, both full BRICS members Russia and Iran.” He went as far as describing India as “untrustworthy” and suggesting it could face suspension or expulsion from BRICS, the influential bloc of emerging economies.

However, both the Iranian and Russian dimensions of these alleged “betrayals” have been systematically refuted by official diplomatic sources. Just a day before the Iranian ambassador’s statement, Russia’s Ambassador to India gave a detailed interview to the newly launched RT India, in which he praised India’s role in international relations, particularly highlighting its effective chairmanship of BRICS.

Questions have emerged about the sources behind Escobar’s claims. While many assume his information comes from Russian official channels, Escobar himself has previously acknowledged connections to multiple intelligence agencies. He admitted in April 2024 to being in contact with “two intel agencies from two separate Asian nations” and later mentioned having “a friend in one of the European intel services.”

This raises concerns that misinformation from these undisclosed intelligence sources might be influencing his commentary, potentially damaging perceptions of Russia-India relations. The situation highlights the responsibility that comes with significant media influence, particularly when commentators are perceived as unofficial spokespersons for major powers.

The diplomatic clarifications from both Iranian and Russian ambassadors serve as important corrections to potentially damaging narratives in international discourse about India’s position in key global alliances. As India continues to navigate complex geopolitical waters, maintaining transparent communication channels with both Iran and Russia appears to remain a priority for the Modi government.

For observers of international relations, this episode underscores the importance of verifying information from official diplomatic channels rather than relying solely on commentary, even from well-connected media personalities. The direct statements from ambassadors represent the official positions of their governments, providing clarity amid increasingly complex global dynamics surrounding the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.