Better Tehran-New Delhi ties to guarantee national interests: President

According to IRNA, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) underway in this northern island of Venezuela.

Stressing that Tehran always welcomed expansion of relations with New Delhi, the Iranian President said that the level of economic relations between the two capitals should rise to the same level of their political relations.

Promotion of Iran-India cooperation will serve national interests of both countries, he added.

Pointing to the large number of agreements signed between the two countries during the August visit to Iran by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi, the Iranian President urged speedy implementation of bilateral agreements especially those related to development projects in Iran’s Chabahar port.

The port of Chabahar is located on the Makran coast of Sistan and Baluchistan Province, next to the Gulf of Oman and at the mouth of Strait of Hormuz. It is the only Iranian port with direct access to the Indian Ocean.

The port is considered as a transit corridor among south-east and north-south. 

President Rouhani further believed that better cooperation between Tehran and New Delhi would bolster stability and security in the region which is contaminated with extremism and terrorism.

Meanwhile, Ansari termed bilateral relations between the two sides as solid.

He added that Iran and India have embarked on a new era of cooperation after Premier Modi visit to Tehran in May.