India-Iran have “common interests and threats”
January 4, 2013, 3:24 pm

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid, (right) shakes hands with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili (left), in New Delhi, India. [AP]

Iran suggests that it is an attractive transit destination to other countries and a net provider of energy security during a press conference by high level Iranian official Saeed Jalili in New Delhi.

Saeed Jalili who is being spoken as a Presidential candidate to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his completion of two terms in office, also stressed on the importance of the Chabahar Port and the energy security that it could provide in relation to gas and oil.

“We have common interests and threats. This calls for more interactions, more talks and more consultations,” sais Saeed Jalili, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran.

Underlining that Iran shares “very good” relations with India, Jalili, who met his Indian counterpart, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, during his three-day official visit, said leaders of both the countries are committed to “deepen and expand” relations.

“Cooperation in security field, political field and economic field gives us opportunity to expand relations in cultural field also,” he said.

“There are common threats in the region like organised crime, terrorism and new elements like piracy. These are issues that call for cooperation and provide for opportunities.’’

Iran’s nuclear issue was not part of discussion,” he clarified, responding to queries.

On the issue of Chabahar Port, Jalili said: “North-South corridor is one of the most important projects, a strategic project which can promote mutual relations and multilateral ties.’’

He said the port will allow India to export Indian goods to various parts of the world. India’s interest in the Iranian port is not only to get a direct access to Central Asia but also to facilitate the import of minerals from Afghanistan.

On the issue of Afghanistan, he said both Iran and India have made efforts to help Afghanistan. He said Iran was in favour of Afghan people-driven policy post the pull-out of the foreign forces in 2014 and added that democracy was the answer.

Under acute shortage due to UN sanctions, Iran is looking at India for pharmaceutical supplies. According to PharmaBiz, the Iranian Health Ministry had expressed its interest to import some 28 different varieties of medicinal drugs ranging from tables, capsules, solutions and injectables of variable quantities from the Indian suppliers.

Source: Agencies