Key facts
- Trump endorsed G7 call for talks on Iran's ballistic missile programme
- Push goes beyond existing nuclear-focused negotiations
- G7 partners: US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan
- Could trigger tighter Western sanctions on Tehran
The Guardian reports that US President Donald Trump has backed a G7 leaders' joint call for expanded negotiations on Iran's ballistic missile programme, going beyond the existing focus on Tehran's nuclear activities. The statement represents a notable convergence between Trump and European G7 partners — the UK, France, Germany, Italy — who have consistently argued that any durable deal with Iran must address its missiles, not just its enrichment programme.
The G7 call comes against the backdrop of stalled nuclear negotiations with Iran and continued Iranian advances in both uranium enrichment and missile technology. Western powers are increasingly concerned that the two tracks — nuclear and missiles — cannot be separated.
For India, which imports significant quantities of Iranian oil through various channels and maintains careful diplomatic relations with Tehran, a renewed Western push that could lead to tighter sanctions carries real economic implications. Disruption to Iranian oil exports historically ripples through global crude markets, affecting India's energy import costs directly.