Iran Seeks Stronger Trade And Diplomatic Ties With India Amid US Sanctions And Regional Concerns

Ahead of the return of Donald Trump to the White House, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, visited New Delhi for high-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral trade, including the strategic Chabahar port, and navigating sanctions.

Tehran is keen to diversify trade with India into sectors such as agriculture, petrochemicals, and tourism. Highlighting the importance of Chabahar port, Iran aims to enhance connectivity and trade routes.

“We don’t want to deal with the past, but want to look into the future,” a top Iranian government source was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Iran is also seeking clarity from Indian officials on the disparity in sanctions compliance. While India ceased oil imports from Iran due to US sanctions, it continues to purchase oil from Russia despite similar pressures.

Beyond trade, Tehran is looking to boost people-to-people exchanges by increasing Indian tourism to Iran and facilitating travel for Iranians to India.

Such exchanges, the Iranian source noted, would contribute to economic growth and cultural ties.

On the geopolitical front, Iran expressed concerns over the security situation in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by rebel groups.

“Those who are in charge in Syria don’t have a good track record,” the source remarked, alluding to connections with Al Qaeda and ISIS. Tehran fears a resurgence of terrorism in the region, emphasizing the importance of regional stability in discussions with India.

Tehran is also fostering closer ties with Russia and China, with plans to sign a significant partnership pact with Moscow by the end of January.

Tehran fears a resurgence of terrorism in the region and plans to discuss this with Indian officials, stating, “It is a serious issue, and we are living in a very uncertain neighbourhood.”

Iran is also bolstering ties with Russia through a major partnership pact and views China as a “very important” global economic partner.

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