Iran FM Meets His Indian Counterpart In New Delhi

New Delhi, March 1, IRNA – Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif Friday evening met his Indian counterpart, Salman Khurshid at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The two leaders expectedly discussed on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. It is understood they have also emphasized the need for the expansion of relations in all fields. . Earlier Zarif met with Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Vice President, Hamid Ansari and National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. It is understood that Iranian Foreign Ministers’ meeting with the Indian leadership will help in promotion of comprehensive cooperation between the two friendly nations, Iran and India. Javad Zarif, who arrived here Thursday morning on a two-day official visit of India, yesterday evening delivered a lecture on Iran’s Foreign Policy: Towards Stability in West Asia, on the occasion of 5th R. K. Mishra Memorial Lecture here at Imperial Hotel. The lecture was organized by Observer Research Foundation (ORF), and was chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. Around two years ago, the then foreign Minister of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi visited India as a special envoy to hand over an invitation from the former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to attend the 16th NAM Summit held in Tehran in August 2012. India and Iran have ancient relations. The two countries are associated by common bonds of culture, language, and traditions. Despite the failed attempt of certain countries to create rift between the two nations, India and Iran continue to maintain friendly and historical ties. /end