Iran's Ambassador to India Dr Ali Chegeni has said that his country stands in solidarity with India amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the pandemic, Iran had sent 300 Oxygen Concentrators and other essentials to India last month.

Iran's Ambassador to India Dr Ali Chegeni has said that his country stands in solidarity with India amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the pandemic, Iran had sent 300 Oxygen Concentrators and other essentials to India last month. Highlighting how Iran had been in the same situation, the envoy Chegeni speaking to WION said, Despite us being under the sanctions and difficulties, we could manage somehow to show our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in India". He lauded India for its outreach to the world community amid the pandemic. India had sent medicines and vaccines to the world to deal with the crisis. Iran procured COVAXIN from India too. Iran's envoy said, "India began its effort to help all the world when the pandemic began" and "we have in our tradition if you give something in desert, you will receive it in the sea", explaining, "India has had a very open hand to help others, so others will help India" Asked about India, Iran vaccine cooperation, Chegeni said, “we have good cooperation with India in Pharma, in the vaccine so the two sides are capable to develop joint venture and cooperation". Iran is developing its vaccine manufacturing plant with 5 vaccines under development. The country has cooperation with Russia and Cuba. India's vaccine capacity is well known, with around 60% of global vaccines being made in the country. On global resistance to vaccine patents, he said, "without world solidarity, we can’t fight this pandemic. We need to be united. This virus is changing". "If world leaders are together if we can have a joint effort to fight the pandemic, we will remove it very soon.” calling for "removing all barriers" when it comes to vaccines.

COVID-19: Stand in solidarity with India says Iran's envoy Dr Ali Chegeni; lauds New Delhi for its ‘open hand’

Continuing its vaccine diplomacy, India will send to Iran 500,000 doses of Indian Covid vaccine Covaxin, the first tranche of which reached the country on Thursday. India has already dispatched 125,000 doses of&nbsp; Covaxin, produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, to the Islamic Republic.

"A tradition of exchanges continues. Made in India vaccines arrive in Iran," tweeted India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

This is the first shipment of Indian vaccines to Iran. Next week, the country will receive 375,000 doses of Covaxin from India as part of the second consignment. Covaxin&nbsp;has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 81%.

Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour tweeted,"125,000 doses of Covaxin is being exported from Hyderabad customs to Iran, today."

WION had first reported last month that Tehran had&nbsp;requested India for vaccines. India has so far sent India-made Covid vaccines to 68 countries, either as a gift&nbsp;or on a commercial basis. The total quantity of such vaccines stands at 583.05 lakh doses, which includes doses for UN peacekeepers. India started its Covid vaccine exports in January, days after it began its mega domestic Covid vaccination programme.

Continuing its vaccine diplomacy, India will send to Iran 500,000 doses of Indian Covid vaccine Covaxin, the first tranche of which reached the country on Thursday.

Continuing its vaccine diplomacy, India will send to Iran 500,000 doses of Indian Covid vaccine Covaxin, the first tranche of which reached the country on Thursday. India has already dispatched 125,000 doses of Covaxin, produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, to the Islamic Republic. "A tradition of exchanges continues. Made in India vaccines arrive in Iran," tweeted India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. This is the first shipment of Indian vaccines to Iran. Next week, the country will receive 375,000 doses of Covaxin from India as part of the second consignment. Covaxin has demonstrated an efficacy rate of 81%. Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour tweeted,"125,000 doses of Covaxin is being exported from Hyderabad customs to Iran, today." WION had first reported last month that Tehran had requested India for vaccines. India has so far sent India-made Covid vaccines to 68 countries, either as a gift or on a commercial basis. The total quantity of such vaccines stands at 583.05 lakh doses, which includes doses for UN peacekeepers. India started its Covid vaccine exports in January, days after it began its mega domestic Covid vaccination programme.

Iran to get 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine from India

India has expressed its commitment to jointly develop Chabahar - Zahedan rail project and refuted reports of it being removed from the project.

Indian govt sources said, “Both sides remain committed to Chabahar-Zahedan railway project."

Adding, "We are very much in the game but progress is slow due to current political environment".&nbsp;

New Delhi sees the various connectivity projects in the West Asian country as the "paradigm driving India-Iran relations". The Chabahar - Zahedan port &amp; rail project and the International North-South Corridor (INSTC) from Mumbai to Moscow that passes via Iran are key connectivity projects both countries are working on. Chabahar port project is the better known of these connectivity projects.

Indian government sources said, "Both vectors enjoy a great deal of convergence among decision-makers in the two countries and beyond. This is therefore not merely an India-Iran initiative but one which generates considerable interest from Central Asian Republics and the Republic of Azerbaijan."

According to Iran media reports, Iran Railway on July 7 started laying track for the 628 km railway project with 150 km section to be completed by March 2021. The full length of the track is expected to be completed by March 2022.

There are two components of the massive connectivity project that will connect India to Afghanistan via Iran. First being the substructure --concrete bed on which rail tracks are mounted, bridges laid or tunnels dugout, etc. This is standard work in any railroad project and superstructure viz. signalling systems, rolling stocks/wagons, locomotive engines, etc.

Under the bilateral agreement, Iran is to lay the substructure which has seen delays due to lack of funds. Upon completion of substructure, India will supply the stock and operationalisation is to be done jointly.

Another hiccup has been that Iran was procuring steel from Indian suppliers. This has been suspended due to US sanctions as steel is a sanctioned commodity. Presidential elections next summer and domestic politics are also in play in the country and that sources believe does impact the project.

During PM Modi's 2016 visit to the West Asian country, India and Iran signed MoU on the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railway line which forms part of transit and transportation corridor in a trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. MoU was between India's IRCON and Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company (CDTIC) of Iran.

As regards financing, broad terms have been agreed upon and these are approximately in the range of $800 million.

India has expressed its commitment to jointly develop Chabahar - Zahedan rail project and refuted reports of it being removed from the project. Indian govt sources said, “Both sides remain committed to Chabahar-Zahedan railway project.

India has expressed its commitment to jointly develop Chabahar - Zahedan rail project and refuted reports of it being removed from the project. Indian govt sources said, “Both sides remain committed to Chabahar-Zahedan railway project." Adding, "We are very much in the game but progress is slow due to current political environment". New Delhi sees the various connectivity projects in the West Asian country as the "paradigm driving India-Iran relations". The Chabahar - Zahedan port & rail project and the International North-South Corridor (INSTC) from Mumbai to Moscow that passes via Iran are key connectivity projects both countries are working on. Chabahar port project is the better known of these connectivity projects. Indian government sources said, "Both vectors enjoy a great deal of convergence among decision-makers in the two countries and beyond. This is therefore not merely an India-Iran initiative but one which generates considerable interest from Central Asian Republics and the Republic of Azerbaijan." According to Iran media reports, Iran Railway on July 7 started laying track for the 628 km railway project with 150 km section to be completed by March 2021. The full length of the track is expected to be completed by March 2022. There are two components of the massive connectivity project that will connect India to Afghanistan via Iran. First being the substructure --concrete bed on which rail tracks are mounted, bridges laid or tunnels dugout, etc. This is standard work in any railroad project and superstructure viz. signalling systems, rolling stocks/wagons, locomotive engines, etc. Under the bilateral agreement, Iran is to lay the substructure which has seen delays due to lack of funds. Upon completion of substructure, India will supply the stock and operationalisation is to be done jointly. Another hiccup has been that Iran was procuring steel from Indian suppliers. This has been suspended due to US sanctions as steel is a sanctioned commodity. Presidential elections next summer and domestic politics are also in play in the country and that sources believe does impact the project. During PM Modi's 2016 visit to the West Asian country, India and Iran signed MoU on the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railway line which forms part of transit and transportation corridor in a trilateral agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. MoU was between India's IRCON and Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company (CDTIC) of Iran. As regards financing, broad terms have been agreed upon and these are approximately in the range of $800 million.

No dilution in India-Iran commitment to jointly develop Chabahar - Zahedan rail project