External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will leave on Sunday for a six-country trip covering four Gulf states affected by the West Asia conflict — Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — plus the United States and Belgium. The journey runs from July 5 to 15, according to the ministry statement issued on Saturday. These Gulf nations have long hosted US military staff, bases and facilities, and faced Iranian strikes in response to American and Israeli operations that started in February. Qatar and Oman have also played important roles, together with Pakistan, in efforts to secure the Iran ceasefire.
