India announces closure of Contact Desk in Mashhad following Iran-Israel ceasefire

Mashhad [Iran], June 24 (ANI): The Embassy of India in Iran announced the closure of its Contact Desk on Tuesday, following the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

The Indian Embassy in Iran posted on X, "In view of the announcement of ceasefire, the Embassy of India's Contact Desk at Hotel Sadr in Mashhad, Iran is henceforth closed."

The Contact Desk was set up to assist Indian nationals in the region during the heightened tensions between the two countries.

US President Donald Trump announced on early Tuesday that Israel and Iran had agreed to a "complete and total ceasefire," in what would bring about an end to the conflict just hours after Tehran targeted American Air bases in the Middle East.

However, after the announcement of the ceasefire, Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Iran of violating the ceasefire and said that he has ordered Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to "respond forcefully to Iran's violation of the ceasefire with intense strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran," The Times of Israel reported.

Katz's statement comes after Iran launched two ballistic missiles at Israel after a ceasefire was supposed to come into effect. Both missiles were intercepted. IDF Chief of Staff Lt General Eyal Zamir, in an ongoing assessment, said, "In light of the grave violation of the ceasefire by the Iranian regime, we will strike with force," The Times of Israel reported.

In a statement, Israel's Prime Minister's Office said, "In light of having achieved the objectives of the operation, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel agrees to the President's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire. Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire."

The conflict between Israel and Iran started on June 13 when the former launched a massive airstrike on Iranian military and nuclear sites, codenamed "Operation Rising Lion". In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initiated a large-scale drone and missile campaign called 'Operation True Promise 3', targeting Israeli fighter jet fuel production facilities and energy supply centres.

Tensions escalated further after the US conducted precision airstrikes early Sunday morning on three key Iranian nuclear facilities under "Operation Midnight Hammer." Iran retaliated by launching multiple missiles at US military installations in Qatar and Iraq, including the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar--the largest US military base in the region. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)