Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar joined Israel FM Yair Lapid in Jerusalem for a video conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed- being called the new Quad in West Asia or the Middle East – as opposed to the other Quad in the Indo-Pacific.

Within a week, New Delhi became the venue for an Israel-Iran spat. After the new Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon accused Iran of destabilising the region, and indicated that last year’s Abraham Accords, that saw UAE and Israel recognise each other, as well as the new Quad were a result of concerns about Iran, the Iranian embassy in Delhi hit back- calling the Ambassador childish and adventurous, and Israel a murderous regime.  While such spats are not uncommon between Tehran and Jerusalem/ Tel Aviv, it is rare to see New Delhi, which has thus far been careful about maintaining good ties with both countries become the setting for the latest round.  Some speculation that Iran's decision to hold a foreign minister's meeting that didn't include India was connected with its unhappiness over the new quad as well.

Why are the Middle Eastern Quad and the Indo-Pacific Quad being compared- apart from the fact that they involve four countries:

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