Congress jabs govt. over Iran-U.S. MoU signing, calls it severe setback to PM's foreign policy

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Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran has now been officially released. File | Photo Credit: ANI

The Congress on Thursday (June 18, 2026) came down heavily on the government after the U.S. and Iran signed a peace deal, saying the pact being called the 'Islamabad MoU' shows the new-found regional standing and global influence of Pakistan which is a "severe setback" to both the substance and style of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran has now been officially released.

"The fact that it is called the Islamabad MOU shows the new-found regional standing and global influence of Pakistan, a country that had once been isolated on the global stage by Dr. Manmohan Singh following the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008," Mr. Ramesh said on X.

"This is a severe setback to both the substance and style of Prime Minister Modi's foreign policy. Pakistan is now even more deeply embedded in the geopolitical and security architecture of West Asia which has grave and great implications for India," he said.

The MoU, if it holds in letter and spirit, is a major advance, the Congress leader said. "But it also has the potential for becoming a Memorandum of Misunderstanding from both sides. For the time being, all that can be said is that the next 60 days will be crucial," he said.

Mr. Ramesh said the MoU itself has very significant and even unexpected gains for Iran, which has demonstrated its resistance and resilience

The GCC countries that have borne the full weight of Iran's counter-attacks have cautiously welcomed the MoU but they will undoubtedly rethink their relationships with other countries, he said.

"The MoU is a definite defeat for the Prime Minister of Israel who can still torpedo it in different ways. Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu stands isolated internation