Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran attaches great importance to its relations with India and both countries share same concerns and interests in the Persian Gulf.
Addressing media after the conclusion of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in New Delhi on Friday, Araghchi said that he held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar during his visit where they discussed several issues, including the Strait of Hormuz and the current situation in West Asia.
“Yesterday, I had a very good brief discussion with Prime Minister Modi, and today, a lengthy meeting with (India’s External Affairs) Minister Jaishankar. We discussed almost everything, including the Strait of Hormuz and the situation in the Persian Gulf region. I have to say that we more or less share similar positions, and we have the same concerns and interests in this important region. So, we will continue to coordinate with our Indian colleagues. As I said, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is very complicated right now, and we are trying to help ships pass safely. Everything will return to normal once the act of aggression is totally and completely ended,” the Iranian FM stated.
Araghchi noted that he and EAM Jaishankar have been in touch during the conflict in West Asia. He also thanked the Indian government for successfully holding the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
“I have to appreciate the warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation by the Indian government and my very good friend Minister Jaishankar, with whom I have a very good personal and working relations. We have been in touch in the past two months, when the war was going on, or better to say, the act of aggression against my country was going on…I should also thank the Indian government for this important BRICS meeting and for the success of this meeting.”
Stressing that India and Iran share good relations, he expressed Tehran’s readiness to continue friendly ties with India for the benefit of two nations based on mutual interest and respect.
“We attach great importance to our relations with India. Iran and India are two ancient civilizations which have always had very good relations and we have exchanged our cultural values. We have had very good trade and economic cooperation with each other and very good political relations and political consultations. And we are certainly determined to continue our friendly and good relations with India for the benefit of both sides and based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” Araghchi told reporters.
Asserting that Iran has been a victim of “aggression”, he praised India for expressing solidarity and sympathy towards Iranian people and offering humanitarian assistance.
“My country has been the victim of an act of aggression, unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israeli regime which happened right in the middle of negotiations we had with Americans. And, it was actually the second time that we started negotiation with the United States and right in the middle of negotiations, in the middle of diplomacy, they decided to attack us and that was very unfortunate.
“We appreciate all those countries who condemned this attack. We appreciate the government and people of India who expressed solidarity and sympathy towards the Iranian people and we appreciate the humanitarian assistance provided to us by the Indian government as a sign of solidarity and we are so happy about that,” he added.
