TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed the country’s readinessto satisfy India’s demands for energy under long-term agreements.link>
In a Saturday meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in NewDelhi, Rouhani proposed plans for “strategic cooperation” with India,saying Iran can supply the South Asian nation with energy within theframework of long-term contracts.
“Such long-term contracts in the energy and transportation sectors willturn the two countries into strategic and reliable partners,” he added.
Referring to Iran’s southeastern port city of Chabahar as a gateway thatconnects India to Afghanistan, Central Asia and East Europe, Rouhani saidIran could make the port part of a “strategic route” by entering trilateraland multilateral agreements.
He further voiced Iran’s readiness for cultural cooperation with India aspart of joint efforts to counter the roots of terrorism, extremism andviolence.
Modi, for his part, welcomed the idea of long-term interaction with Iran,saying Indian companies are ready to increase investment in Iran’s oil andgas industry.
Highlighting the significance of Iran’s Chabahar port in reshaping regionaltrade, he said India has begun exporting wheat to Afghanistan via theIranian port by the Sea of Oman.
Heading a ranking diplomatic and economic delegation, Rouhani began his3-day visit to India with a trip to Hyderabad on Thursday.
The Iranian president received a formal welcome ceremony from the presidentand prime minister of India in New Delhi on Saturday morning, after payingtribute to late Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi in his memorial.