NEW DELHI: In his phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian late Thursday, PM Modi stressed that India is Iran’s friend and that his govt will do all it can to advance diplomacy as escalation is not in anyone’s interest. This is the closest India has come to expressing solidarity with Tehran, which said Friday it would allow Indian ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, after the war broke out with US-Israel attacks and Iranian reprisals. The Iranian president also appreciated India’s “balanced and constructive positions” on international issues and its efforts to reduce tensions. Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali answered in the affirmative when…