New Delhi: Foreign Minister Jaishankar on Wednesday held broad talks with his colleagues who visited Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, focused on increasing bilateral bonds, and negotiating about the situation in Afghanistan and the Ukraine crisis.
The conversation took place in the background of anger that extends in West Asia over the controversial comments about the Prophet Muhammmed made by two former BJP spokespersons.
Extensive discussion with FM @amirabdued from Iran. Reviewing our bilateral cooperation, including in trade, connectivity, health, and related people. Exchange of views on global and regional issues including JCPOA, Afghanistan and Ukraine,” Tweet Jaisankar.
Both parties also signed an agreement regarding reciprocal legal assistance in civil and commercial matters.
Mr Abdollahian is in a visit three days to India to further enhance bilateral bonds.
This was the first visit to India by the senior minister of members of the Islamic cooperation organization after a controversial statement about the Prophet to fight for the Gulf countries.
“Welcoming FM @amirabdolahian to New Delhi. Our discussion today will reflect our close and friendly relationship,” Jaishankar tweet before the conversation.
Mr Abdollahan’s visit to India came a few days after Iran joined Kuwait and Qatar in calling the Indian Ambassador on the statement of the Prophet Muhammmed by Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.
Since then, several countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, Bahrain, Maldives, Malaysia, Oman, Iraq and Libya have condemned the comments.
However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday categorically rejected Oki’s criticism of India after a comment about the Prophet.
Iran’s nuclear agreement is also taken into account in the conversation.
The Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA), commonly known as Iran’s nuclear agreement, was completed in 2015 between Tehran and several world forces including the EU. It was intended to curb Iran’s nuclear ambition. The US has withdrawn from the agreement in May 2018 and imposed sanctions on Iran. Now there is a new effort to restore the agreement. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA), Abdollahian will travel to Mumbai and Hyderabad after concluding his involvement in New Delhi.
Iran has become the main country for India in the Gulf region.
Both sides have focused on increasing connectivity between Southeast Asia and Central Asia.
At the connectivity conference in Tashkent in July last year, Jaishankar projects the Iranian Chalang Port as the main regional transit center including Afghanistan.
Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the southern coast of Iran which is rich in energy, Chabahar ports are being developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan to increase connectivity and trade relations.
India has been in contact with Iran for developments in Afghanistan after the takeover by the Taliban.
Iranian national security advisors have attended a regional conclave organized by India in November at the Afghan crisis.
Conclave was also attended by Russian NSAS, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.