Rouhani's First Visit After Assuming Office
This will be Iranian President Haasan Rouhani's first visit to India after he assumed office in 2013. It comes after Modi's visit to Tehran in 2016 during which a trilateral agreement on transit and transport was signed between India, Iran and Afghanistan.
India committed $85 million in investment for the development of the Shahid Beheshti Port in Iran's southeastern city of Chabahar.
The first phase of the port was inaugurated by President Rouhani in December last year, a little over a month after the first consignment of wheat from India to Afghanistan was sent via this facility.
The port opens a new strategic transit route between Iran, India, Afghanistan and other Central Asian nations bypassing Pakistan.
India-Iran bilateral trade stood at $12.89 billion in 2016-17, according to figures provided by the External Affairs Ministry.
Rouhani Meets Vice President Naidu
Iran President Hassan Rouhani met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu this evening.
Rouhani Pledges to Stick to Nuclear Deal Commitments
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday the country will adhere to commitments under its 2015 international nuclear agreement, signed with six world powers to limit its disputed nuclear programme.
"We will adhere to our commitments made," Rouhani said at an event in New Delhi. "After signing a contract, haggling with it is ridiculous."
Under the agreement signed with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of many sanctions.
US President Donald Trump has been pushing for changes to the agreement.
"If the US violates this agreement... you will see that America will regret this decision," he said adding that his country had always adhered to contract deals so long as other parties did not violate the contract.
India and Iran Have Signed a Number of Agreements
As reported by NDTV, the two nations have signed a total of nine agreements:
- Maritime Agreement on Chabahar Port and Document on Shahid Behesti port
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Exemption of Visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders
- Ratification of Extradition Treaty
- Co-operation on Medicine
- MoU on Establishment on Trade
- MoU on Co-operation on Agriculture
- MoU on Health
- MoU on Postal Co-operation
Strong India-Iran Ties Will Benefit Afghanistan: Modi
In his speech, Modi had also said that greater strategic co-operation and communication among the two nations would also benefit Afghanistan, which is a close neighbour to both nations.
He also said that together the nations could help prevent the onslaught of terrorism that was abound in Afghanistan, and rid them of the same.
The two countries want to see our neighbour Afghanistan safe and prosper. We want to see our neighbours free of terrorism.Prime Minister Narendra Modi