New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday criticised US President Donald Trump's decision to launch airstrikes on Iran, calling it 'a mockery of his own earlier calls for talks with the country.'

Ramesh urged the Indian government to take a stronger stand, accusing it of remaining silent on both the US airstrikes and Israel's actions in Gaza.

In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh wrote, 'President Trump's decision to unleash US airpower on Iran makes a mockery of his own calls for the continuation of talks with Iran.'

https://x.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1936991656726954432

He added that the Indian National Congress reiterates the urgent need for immediate diplomacy and dialogue with Iran.

'The Indian National Congress reiterates the absolute essentiality of immediate diplomacy and dialogue with Iran. The Government of India must demonstrate greater moral courage than it has so far. The Modi Government has unequivocally neither criticised nor condemned the US bombing and Israel's aggression, bombings and targeted assassinations. It has also maintained a deafening silence on the genocide being perpetrated on the Palestianians in Gaza,' the post reads.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the 'very successful' strikes had hit the Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the success of the operation launched by the US in Iran on Sunday. In a media briefing with Chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine, Hegseth said that the US had successfully conducted precision strikes in Iran's Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz.

'Last night, on President Trump's order, the US Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran - Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz - in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran's nuclear programme. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success,' he said.

Hegseth said that the orders from the US President and Commander-in-Chief were clear. They 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear ambitions. 'The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused, it was powerful, and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program,' he said. Hegseth said that the US did not target Iranian troops or civilians.'

But it's worth noting that the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people,' he added. Hegseth, however, noted that the operation was 'not and has not been about regime change' in Iran but to create a setback to Iran's nuclear ambitions, as reported by The Hill. (ANI)