Mauritius has condemned the firing of two ballistic missiles targeting the Diego Garcia military base on the Chagos Archipelago.
Port Louis said in a statement that missiles were launched towards the Chagos Archipelago between Thursday night and Friday morning. It called the action a grave violation of international law and an undermining of peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean.
“Mauritius calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities in the interest of the peoples of the region and for global peace and stability,” the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday.
Diego Garcia is one of two bases the UK has authorised the US to use as part of its ongoing military campaign against Iran.
UK minister Steve Reed on Sunday claimed one missile launched by Iran targeting the Diego Garcia base “fell short” while another missile was “intercepted”.
‘Lacked credibility’
But Iran on Monday dismissed the claim as an “Israeli false flag.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement that the accusations lacked credibility and reflected a pattern of “disinformation.”
Without mention of Iran, Mauritius commended ongoing diplomatic efforts by members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other partners in the Middle East to ease tensions and promote dialogue.
“Mauritius reiterates that any resolution of the situation must be pursued in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states,” it added.
The reported incident had drawn attention because Diego Garcia lies 4,000 kilometers (2.485 miles) from Iran, double the 2,000-kilometer limit Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tehran had deliberately imposed on its missiles.
The island, the largest in the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean, has hosted a joint US-UK military presence since the 1970s and serves as a base for long-range bombers and other strategic assets.
