“Prime Minister’s visit to Iran will thus impart a timely impetus to the ongoing efforts of the two countries and their business entities to expand bilateral cooperation and mutually benefit from new opportunities in the wake of lifting of sanctions against Iran earlier this year”, he added.
Advertisement
Terming terrorism as a “big problem running rife and rampant in the region”, Rouhani said that both the nations have discussed the issue and agreed to share intelligence to combat the menace.
India and Iran, he said, have made a decision to “get closer to each other to fight terrorism and extremism and contribute to peace and stability in the region”, he said.
The Indian company will undertake the development of two jetties in Chabahar port for a period of 10 years and will transfer all cargo consignments except for oil products.
Iran and India agreed to develop the strategic Chabahar Port in 2003. While he refused to comment on which agreements would actually be signed, he said India was “confident of concrete outcomes”.
It lies outside the Persian Gulf and is easily accessed from India’s western coast, bypassing Pakistan.
About a fifth of the oil consumed worldwide each day passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping choke point that separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean.
The Afghan government says the agreement on the port reached the signing stage after two technical meetings of representatives and experts from the three countries in New Delhi on 22/12/2015 and in Tehran on 11/04/2016.
“Modi and Rouhani exchange ideas at a restricted tete-a-tete”, he said. “India and Iran are not new friends, our “dosti” is as old as history”.
“Stepping forward with Iran”. The two heads of state will discuss about further trade, economic, cultural and political cooperation.
“The relationship will go beyond mere trade relationship”.
“For me, visiting Iran is indeed a great privilege”.
In the afternoon, the trilateral agreement on connectivity of India with landlocked Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar will be signed. “We have shared interests in each other’s growth and prosperity, joys and sorrows”, said PM Modi. Iran and India relations cover mutual interests which directly affect the region.
Ahead of his arrival, Modi in a series of tweets said, “Enhancing connectivity, trade, investments, energy partnership, culture and people to people contacts would be our priority”.
Advertisement
Considering that both countries have an important port like Chabahar, we can have vast cooperation. “We accept everyone and assimilate with everyone”, Modi said while addressing a community gathering at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurudwara.
