Iran Foreign Minister urges on strengthening relations with India

Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived here on Monday on a one-day visit, stressed upon the idea of strengthening relations shared by the two countries.

"We (India and Iran) have had very good relations in the past and we expect to continue these relations. We will have a number of meetings today and we will work on expanding the very good relations that we have with India," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told ANI in Delhi.

Zarif's day-long visit is part of Tehran's efforts to reach out to major world powers after the US pulled out from the landmark nuclear deal of 2015 under which Tehran had agreed to stop its sensitive nuclear activities in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions

The issue is expected to be discussed extensively in the talks between Swaraj and Zarif, officials said. The Chabahar port project is also likely to figure in the meeting

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This comes after the United States President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actionm, which limited Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief.

The Ministry of External Affairs later issued a statement on May 10 saying it will take necessary steps to safeguard India's interest with respect to Iran's nuclear deal.

"We will take necessary measures to safeguard our interest. It is too early to come to a conclusion on implications of US withdrawing from JCPOA," MEA official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Iran is India's third largest oil supplier and there were apprehensions about possible impact of the US decision on India's oil import. However, the officials said the US decision to reinstate financial sanctions on Iran would not impact India's oil imports as long as European countries did not follow suit

Foreign Minister Zarif has been visiting leaders of several countries to discuss the future of Iran nuclear deal including meeting the European Union, British, French, and German counterparts in Brussels.

Further among the key issues between India and Iran is the development of Chabahar port.

Earlier on March 15, India issued a statement saying that Iran is free to choose partners for developing Chabahar Port.

It came after Iran invited China and Pakistan to participate in the development of the strategic Chabahar Port and extended support to the right of self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Indo-Iran ties have been on a upswing in the last three years. Prime Minister Modi visited Tehran in May 2016 with an aim to craft a strategic relationship with Iran and expand India's ties with West Asia